HERBAL COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF VIRAL INFECTION

1 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . An isolated extract from roots of the plant Indigofera heterantha prepared by stirring the roots of the plant in a solvent in a ratio of 1:5 to 1:40 weight/volume for 2 hours to 24 hours at 40° C. to 50° C.; concentrating the extract; and optionally enriching the extract by solvent partitioning or chromatography.

23 . A herbal composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an isolated extract of roots of the plant Indigofera heterantha, prepared according to claim 22 , either alone or in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

24 . A process for the preparation of the herbal composition as claimed in claim 23 , comprising:

(a) preparing an extract from the roots of the plant Indigofera heterantha by stirring in a solvent in a ratio of 1:5 to 1:40 weight/volume for 2 hours to 24 hours at 40° C. to 50° C.;

(b) concentrating the solvent extract obtained in step (a);

(c) optionally drying the extract obtained in step (b) under high vacuum (0.01-5 mm Hg);

(d) optionally enriching the extract obtained in step (b) or step (c) using materials selected from polyamide resin, gelatin/sodium chloride solution, polyvinylpyrrolidone, caffeine, lead (II) acetate or hide powder;

(e) optionally enriching the extract obtained in step (b), step (c) or step (d) by solvent partitioning or chromatography; and

(f) optionally mixing the extract of step (b), step (c), step (d) or step(c) with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

25 . The process as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the solvent for extracting the plant Indigofera heterantha is selected from methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, water, and a mixture thereof.

26 . The process as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the solvent for extracting the plant Indigofera heterantha is a mixture of methanol and water, or ethanol and water.

27 . The process as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the material used for enriching the extract is polyamide resin.

28 . The process as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the solvents for enriching the extract by solvent partitioning arc selected from water, petroleum ether, dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol, acetone, acetonitrile, n-propanol, iso-propanol, and butanol or a mixture thereof.

29 . The herbal composition as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the herbal composition is formulated for oral or topical administration.

30 . The herbal composition as claimed in claim 29 , wherein the herbal composition is formulated for topical administration in the form of a cream, gel or ointment.

31 . The herbal composition as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the herbal composition comprises 5% to 50% (w/w) of the extract.

32 . A method of treating viral infection comprising administering to a subject in need thereof, a herbal composition as claimed in claim 23 .

33 . The method as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the viral infection is caused by HSV.

34 . The method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the viral infection is caused by HSV-2.