Standardization of in vitro assays to evaluate the activity of polyherbal siddha formulations against Chikungunya virus infection.

Chikungunya, a viral fever caused by Aedes mosquito results in extreme morbidity in affected individuals and is a major public health concern in India. Currently, modern vaccines or formulations prescribed by physicians can only provide symptomatic relief for the pyretic and post pyretic phase of the disease. Siddha practitioners follows strict medical regimen based on traditional Indian knowledge/concepts to treat Chikungunya with considerable results. The current study was undertaken to standardize assays for the study of these siddha formulations and to check their efficacy and potential mode of action as antivirals for Chikungunya virus infection in in vitro system. Although, siddha practitioners follow a regime containing 4-6 formulations, of these Brahmanandha bairavam mathirai, a part of the regime for Chikungunya followed at National Institute of Siddha and Vishnu chakram along with Brahmanandha bairavam mathirai, a part of Thiruchergodu Regime were found of have antiviral activities. It was observed that both Vishnu chakram and Brahmanandha bairavam mathirai were equally effective in blocking Chikungunya virus from entering susceptible cells in the concentrations range of 0.0625 and 0.5 mg/ml. Additionally, it was also observed that Brahmanandha bairavam mathirai was more effective than Vishnu chakram against entry of Chikungunya in the cells. The assays used in this study provides insights to the possible mode of action of various formulations used by siddha practitioners for the treatment of Chikungunya infection.