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Viruses
Special Issues
Recent Advances in Antiviral Natural Products, 2nd Edition
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Recent Advances in Antiviral Natural Products, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Immunology, Vaccines, and Antivirals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 1113

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Massimiliano Galdiero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. UOC Virology and Microbiology, University Hospital “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
2. Department of Woman, Child, and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy
Interests: viral entry; viral pathogenesis; peptides; anti-viral peptide; diagnostic virology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Carla Zannella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Woman, Child, and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy
Interests: antiviral peptides; viral glycoproteins; dendrimer; natural extracts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Annalisa Chianese

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Woman, Child, and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy
2. Department of Life Sciences, Health and Health Professions, Link Campus University, 00165 Rome, Italy
Interests: antimicrobial peptide; virus-host interaction; zoonoses; animal viruses; respiratory viruses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rosa Giugliano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Interests: biosurfactants; antimicrobial resistance; natural products; antiviral assay; bacterial biofilm; antibacterial assay
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rise of infectious diseases caused by emerging and re-emerging viruses represents a serious threat to global health. While significant progress has been made in the development of antiviral drugs, many agents remain underutilized due to high toxicity, limited efficacy, or the rapid emergence of resistance. One promising strategy to overcome these limitations is the exploration of natural extracts and products, which often display lower toxicity and a reduced likelihood of resistance development. Among these, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as particularly attractive candidates due to their broad-spectrum antiviral activity and multifunctional roles in host defense.

This Special Issue aims to gather original research articles and comprehensive reviews that highlight recent advances in the development of natural antiviral products, including antimicrobial peptides, as well as other bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic applications. We particularly welcome contributions that explore mechanisms of action, drug delivery strategies, and translational applications to prevent or control viral infections.

We invite authors to submit original manuscripts addressing all aspects of this topic, contributing to the advancement of natural antiviral strategies and the preparedness for future viral outbreaks.

Prof. Dr. Massimiliano Galdiero
Dr. Carla Zannella
Dr. Annalisa Chianese
Dr. Rosa Giugliano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • virus
  • antiviral
  • natural product
  • antimicrobial peptides
  • drug delivery
  • infectious disease

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 1628 KB  
Article
Antiviral Activity of Microbial Metabolites Monensin and Brefeldin A Against Toscana Virus: In Vitro Evaluation and Mechanistic Insights
by Laura Di Clemente, Carla Zannella, Francesca Palma, Marina Acunzo, Rosa Giugliano, Annalisa Chianese, Floriana Bonura, Simona De Grazia, Giovanni M. Giammanco, Anna De Filippis and Massimiliano Galdiero
Viruses 2026, 18(3), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18030287 - 27 Feb 2026
Viewed by 811
Abstract
Toscana virus (TOSV), a negative-sense RNA phlebovirus transmitted by Phlebotomus sandflies and endemic in Mediterranean regions, is an emerging pathogen capable of causing diseases ranging from mild febrile illness to severe central nervous system involvement. With no licensed vaccines or specific antiviral therapies [...] Read more.
Toscana virus (TOSV), a negative-sense RNA phlebovirus transmitted by Phlebotomus sandflies and endemic in Mediterranean regions, is an emerging pathogen capable of causing diseases ranging from mild febrile illness to severe central nervous system involvement. With no licensed vaccines or specific antiviral therapies available, the identification of novel therapeutic approaches is urgently needed. Microbial secondary metabolites have recently attracted attention for their broad-spectrum antiviral activities. Among them, monensin and brefeldin A have shown antiviral efficacy against a variety of viruses, often by disrupting viral protein trafficking and inducing Golgi-associated stress responses. However, their potential activity in the context of TOSV infection has not yet been explored. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antiviral activity of monensin and brefeldin A against TOSV and to gain mechanistic insights into their effects at the cellular level. Vero cells were infected with TOSV and treated with monensin (1.5–25 µM) or brefeldin A (10.9–175 nM) at different time points (4, 6, 12, 24 h). Cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT and hemolysis assays. Antiviral activity was measured via plaque reduction assays and quantitative real-time PCR targeting the viral L gene. Western blot analysis was performed to assess TFE3 expression, a transcription factor associated with the Golgi stress response. Monensin exhibited rapid antiviral activity, achieving IC50 values of 2.7 µM and 2.5 µM at 4 and 6 h post-treatment, respectively, with dose-dependent suppression of viral L gene expression. Brefeldin A displayed a delayed effect, with maximal inhibition after 12 h (IC50 = 66.9 nM). Monensin treatment induced a concentration-dependent upregulation of TFE3, while brefeldin A caused only a modest increase, suggesting differential activation of the Golgi stress response during TOSV infection. These findings support the potential of microbial metabolites as therapeutic candidates for emerging arboviral infections in the Mediterranean region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Antiviral Natural Products, 2nd Edition)
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