LAUSR

One of the major challenges in development of anti-enterovirus (EV) drug is in the safety of the drug. Here, we attempt to identity anti-EV compound from an edible plant extract library, and identify potent anti-enterovirus 68 (EV-D68) activity in avocado (Persea americana). The purified identity is determined as 2R,4R-(12Z,15Z)-heneicosa-12,15-diene-1,2,4-triol, and named avoenin. Avoenin shows EC50 of 2.0 μM for EV-D68(Fermon) infection with CC50 of > 150 μM in RD cells, by targeting uncoating step of EV-D68 infection. Resistant mutations of EV-D68 (VP3-V24I, S173P, and S180G) to avoenin confer cross resistance to pleconaril, an uncoating inhibitor of EV-D68. The inhibitory effect of avoenin is substantially specific to EV-D68 among the EVs. This work reveals avoenin as the identity of anti-EV-D68 activity in avocado, and offers insights into development of novel and effective strategy to overcome EV-D68 infection and its related respiratory diseases.