In vitro evaluation of caffeine effect on hepatitis C virus inhibition

Abstract

Hepatitis C is liver infection induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV), which displays tropism by hepatocytes and due does not generate on host an adequate immune response leads, in most cases, a chronic frame that can evolve to liver complications like liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The infection reach about 170 million people worldwide a, despite all efforts to combat the virus, isn't a definitive treatment. The use natural therapies and phytochemicals has proven protective effects against several types of viruses and is an alternative to new antiviral drugs against hepatitis C virus. Caffeine is a phytochemical that shows an hepatoprotective effect, decreasing the development of hepatocellular cancer, liver cirrhosis and fibrosis described on literature, with results particularly significant to patients with hepatitis C. Preliminary results evaluated on Laboratory of Genomics Studies showed around 80% of reduction subgenomic replicon of HCV replication (SGR-JFH1) in vitro when subject to caffeine treatment, however is necessary to confirm these results to complete virus. Thereby, this project came propose the evaluation of caffeine effects on complete virus replication, evaluating replication events, entry and exit of virus from host cell, as well as establish the efficiency of drug.