%A Elsebai,Mahmoud %A Mocan,Andrei %A Atanasov,Atanas %D 2016 %J Frontiers in Pharmacology %C %F %G English %K cynaropicrin,Hepatitis C virus,Anti-hyperlipidemic,antitumor,anti-inflammatory,Anti-parasite,Antibacterial,Anti-parasitic,Anti-feedant,anti-gastritis action %Q %R 10.3389/fphar.2016.00472 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2016-December-08 %9 Review %+ Dr Atanas Atanasov,University of Vienna,Department of Pharmacognosy,Althanstrasse 14,Vienna,1090,Austria,a.atanasov.mailbox@gmail.com %+ Dr Atanas Atanasov,Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences,05-552 Jastrzebiec,Poland,a.atanasov.mailbox@gmail.com %# %! Cynaropicrin for HCV %* %< %T Cynaropicrin: a comprehensive research review and therapeutic potential as an anti- hepatitis C virus agent %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2016.00472 %V 7 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 1663-9812 %X The different pharmacologic properties of plants-containing cynaropicrin, especially artichokes, have been known for many centuries. More recently, cynaropicrin exhibited a potential activity against all genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Cynaropicrin has also shown a wide range of other pharmacologic properties such as anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-trypanosomal, anti-malarial, antifeedant, antispasmodic, anti-photoaging, and anti-tumor action, as well as activation of bitter sensory receptors, and anti-inflammatory properties (e.g., associated with the suppression of the key pro-inflammatory NF-κB pathway). These pharmacological effects are very supportive factors to its outstanding activity against HCV. Structurally, cynaropicrin might be considered as a potential drug candidate, since it has no violations for the rule of five and its water-solubility could allow formulation as therapeutic injections. Moreover, cynaropicrin is a small molecule that can be easily synthesized and as the major constituent of the edible plant artichoke, which has a history of safe dietary use. In summary, cynaropicrin is a promising bioactive natural product that, with minor hit-to-lead optimization, might be developed as a drug for HCV.