{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,13]],"date-time":"2026-05-13T17:58:25Z","timestamp":1778695105946,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,15]],"date-time":"2022-04-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1649980800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand","award":["AMS-2565"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["AMS-2565"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) infection causes a significant life-long disease. Long-term side effects of antiviral drugs can lead to the emergence of drug resistance. Thus, propolis, a natural product derived from beehives, has been proposed to prevent or treat HSV-2 infections. Unfortunately, therapeutic applications of propolis are still limited due its poor solubility. To overcome this, a nanoparticle-based drug delivery system was employed. An ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) was encapsulated in nanoparticles composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and chitosan using a modified oil-in-water single emulsion by using the solvent evaporation method. The produced nanoparticles (EEP-NPs) had a spherical shape with a size of ~450 nm and presented satisfactory physicochemical properties, including positively charged surface (38.05 \u00b1 7.65 mV), high entrapment efficiency (79.89 \u00b1 13.92%), and sustained release profile. Moreover, EEP-NPs were less cytotoxic on Vero cells and exhibited anti-HSV-2 activity. EEP-NPs had a direct effect on the inactivation of viral particles, and also disrupted the virion entry and release from the host cells. A significant decrease in the expression levels of the HSV-2 replication-related genes (ICP4, ICP27, and gB) was also observed. Our study suggests that EEP-NPs provide a strong anti-HSV-2 activity and serve as a promising platform for the treatment of HSV-2 infections.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules27082560","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,19]],"date-time":"2022-04-19T01:03:01Z","timestamp":1650330181000},"page":"2560","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":16,"title":["Activity of Propolis Nanoparticles against HSV-2: Promising Approach to Inhibiting Infection and Replication"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4987-5505","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sirikwan","family":"Sangboonruang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Infectious Diseases Research Unit (IDRU), Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2078-3201","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natthawat","family":"Semakul","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sanonthinee","family":"Sookkree","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0480-3575","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jiraporn","family":"Kantapan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Unit, Department of Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8950-3234","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicole","family":"Ngo-Giang-Huong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associated Medical Sciences (AMS)-CMU IRD Research Collaboration, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: \u00c9cologie, G\u00e9n\u00e9tique, \u00c9volution et Contr\u00f4le (MIVEGEC), University of Montpellier, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche Pour le D\u00e9veloppement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0196-5691","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Woottichai","family":"Khamduang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Infectious Diseases Research Unit (IDRU), Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Natedao","family":"Kongyai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Infectious Diseases Research Unit (IDRU), Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8812-5139","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Khajornsak","family":"Tragoolpua","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Infectious Diseases Research Unit (IDRU), Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thellman, N.M., and Triezenberg, S.J. 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