Tannic acid as a potential antiviral agent against nervous necrosis virus: Efficacy and mode of action

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) is a highly pathogenic pathogen in groupers, leading to substantial economic losses in the grouper aquaculture industry. Tannic acid (TA) is a naturally occurring hydrolyzable polyphenol possesses multiple activities. In this study, we evaluated TA as a potential therapeutic agent against NNV infection. Our results showed that TA specifically bound to the NNV B2 protein, effectively blocked both viral adsorption and entry into host cells, as well as intracellular replication to exert the anti-NNV activity. Moreover, TA treatment markedly suppressed NNV-induced apoptosis, thereby mitigating virus-associated cellular damage. Collectively, these results suggested that TA, as an efficient, low-toxicity, and environmentally friendly natural compound, holds strong potential antiviral activity against NNV and offers a promising strategy for disease prevention and control in sustainable grouper aquaculture.