Molecular Interaction Study of Punica granatum-Derived Phytochemicals Targeting H1N1 Influenza A Virus Neuraminidase Using Docking Simulations

Abstract

 Influenza viruses often develop resistance to antiviral drugs, requiring constant discovery of new drug sources. By utilising natural resources as a component in the development of the drug to inhibit the virus function, it can provide researchers with more options. Antiviral drugs are created based on the principle of molecular docking which analyse orientation of a molecule that will bind to the specific target site designated. This study explores using Punica granatum extract as a natural bioactive component to inhibit viral neuraminidase through molecular docking analysis. The aim is to identify bioactive compounds from Punica granatum that can act as ligands and analyse their interactions with neuraminidase using computer software.