Unveiling electron-mediating properties of red perilla (shiso) leaves for bioenergy-steered antiviral capabilities

Antiviral herbal medicines with polyphenolics were studied to exhibit effective disease treatment, antioxidant and antiviral capabilities. Prior studies have deciphered synergistic interactions of herbal medicines for disease treatment through electrochemical catalysis. Supplementing TCM to microbial fuel cell (MFC) systems allows herbal medicines to work as electron shuttles (ESs) or electrochemical catalyst, stimulating bioenergy-generating and disease-treating capabilities. ES prevents redox balance damage induced by viruses while bioelectricity-steered antiviral characteristics were triggered. Hence, this feasibility study selected the red variant of perilla leaves to decipher such correlations. This study proceeded by extracting the perilla leaves using water and ethanol. The water and ethanol extracts were subjected to phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activity. Moreover, augmentation of water and ethanolic extracts of red perilla to MFCs was quantitatively assessed for comparative study of bioenergy generation. As TPC and antioxidant activity indicated, water extract exhibited the most significant results. Meanwhile, the ethanolic extracts showed the maximal performance of bioenergy generation. With the findings of this study, it proves that the use of electrochemical approach to screen possible antiviral herbal medicine could be a promising and sustainable technique. Furthermore, deciphering the antiviral characteristics of herbal medicines through bioenergy production could address the current challenges regarding antiviral drugs. •Water extract of red perilla had the highest total polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity.•Water and ethanol extract of red perilla both performed the maximal bioenergy generation.•Strong association of phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, and power generation was revealed via PCA.•Electrochemical measure provided a promising approach for screening antiviral herbal medicines.