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7949145 
Journal Article 
Xanthenedione (and intermediates involved in their synthesis) inhibit Zika virus migration to the central nervous system in murine neonatal models 
Poly da Silva, ÍE; Lopes da Silva, M; Dias, RS; Santos, EG; Brangioni de Paula, MC; Silva de Oliveira, A; Costa da Silveira Oliveira, AF; Marques de Oliveira, F; Canedo da Silva, C; Teixeira, RR; Oliveira de Paula, S 
2020 
1 
Microbes and Infection
ISSN: 1286-4579
EISSN: 1769714X 
22 
9 
489-499 
English 
32353601 
WOS:000583804400018 
Zika Virus (ZIKV), an arbovirus that belongs to the Flaviviridae family, has become a global concern since its outbreak in the Americas in 2015. With symptoms similar to other Flavivirus as Dengue and Yellow Fever viruses, infections by ZIKV have also been related to several neurological complications such as microcephaly in newborns and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Considering the high prevalence of ZIKV infection in certain areas, the risks that the virus poses to fetal brain development, and the fact that there is no vaccine or specific prophylaxis available, an effective treatment capable of preventing the infection is of potential interest. Therefore, in the present investigation, the antiviral activity on ZIKV of a group of xanthenodiones and intermediate ketones involved in their synthesis was evaluated for the first time. It was found that the compound 2-(2,6-dichlorobenzylidene)cyclohexane-1,3-dione 27 was able to completely inhibit the viral infection of Vero cells as well as to significantly reduce viral load in the brains of newborn Swiss mice. These effects are related to a direct interaction of the compound with the viral particle, blocking the viral adsorption. 
Antiviral; Flavivirus; Ketones; Xanthenodiones; Zika virus