https://biobran.org Fri, 21 Aug 2026 18:25:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://biobran.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/cropped-FaviBB-1-32x32.webp https://biobran.org 32 32 https://biobran.org/biobran-mgn-3-an-arabinoxylan-rice-bran-protects-against-severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome-coronavirus-2-sars-cov-2-an-in-vitro-and-in-silico-study/ Wed, 16 Aug 2023 19:55:00 +0000 https://biobran.org/?p=767 Abstract: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), poses a serious global public health threat for which there is currently no satisfactory treatment. This study examines the efficacy of Biobran/MGN-3 against SARS-CoV-2. Biobran is an arabinoxylan rice bran that has been shown to significantly inhibit the related influenza virus in geriatric subjects. Here, Biobran’s anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity was assessed using MTT and plaque reduction assays, RT-PCR, ELISA techniques, and measurements of SARS-CoV-2-related gene expression and protein levels. For Vero E6 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2, Biobran reduced the viral load by 91.9% at a dose of 100 µg/mL, it reduced viral counts (PFU/mL) by 90.6% at 50 µg/mL, and it exhibited a significant selectivity index (EC50/IC50) of 22.5. In addition, Biobran at 10 µg/mL inhibited papain-like proteinase (PLpro) by 87% and ACE2 SARS-CoV-2 Sprotein RBD by 90.5%, and it significantly suppressed SARS-CoV-2 gene expression, down-regulating E-gene and RdRp gene expression by 93% each at a dose of 50 µg/mL and inhibiting the E-protein by 91.3%. An in silico docking study was also performed to examine the protein–protein interaction (PPI) between SARS-CoV-2 RBD and DC-SIGN as well as between serine carboxypeptidase and papain-like protease PLpro. Serine carboxypeptidase, an active ingredient in Biobran, was found to interfere with the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to its receptor DC-SIGN on Vero cells, thus preventing the cell entry of SARS-CoV-2. In addition, it impairs the viral replication cycle by binding to PLpro. We conclude that Biobran possesses potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and suggest that Biobran may be able to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. This warrants further investigation in clinical trials.

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