Abstract
BackgroundHuman influenza is a seasonal disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Anti-flu Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has played a significant role in fighting the virus pandemic. In TCM, dandelion is a commonly used ingredient in many therapeutic remedies, either alone or in conjunction with other natural substances. Evidence suggests that dandelion is associated with a variety of pharmacological activities. In this study, we evaluated anti-influenza virus activity of an aqueous extract from dandelion, which was tested for in vitro antiviral activity against influenza virus type A, human A/PR/8/34 and WSN (H1N1).ResultsResults obstained using antiviral assays, minigenome assay and real-time reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that 0.625-5 mg/ml of dandelion extracts inhibited infections in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells or Human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) of PR8 or WSN viruses, as well as inhibited polymerase activity and reduced virus nucleoprotein (NP) RNA level. The plant extract did not exhibit any apparent negative effects on cell viability, metabolism or proliferation at the effective dose. This result is consistent with the added advantage of lacking any reported complications of the plant's utility in traditional medicine over several centuries.ConclusionThe antiviral activity of dandelion extracts indicates that a component or components of these extracts possess anti-influenza virus properties. Mechanisms of reduction of viral growth in MDCK or A549 cells by dandelion involve inhibition on virus replication.
Highlights
Human influenza is a seasonal disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality
We further identified the inhibition of viral polymerase activity and the reduction of the virus nucleoprotein (NP) RNA level contributed to the antiviral effect
Treatment with aqueous dandelion extracts results in a reduction of progeny virus titers Treatment with aqueous dandelion extracts results in an efficient and concentration-dependent reduction of progeny virus titers in infected lung epithelial cells (A549) or Madine-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells; both of which are standard host cell lines for influenza virus propagation. These cells were treated with dandelion extracts at various concentrations (0.0782-5 mg/ml) 1 h post-infection with different influenza A virus strains, including human prototype isolate A/Puerto-Rico/8/34 (PR8) and A/WSN33 (WSN) (H1N1)
Summary
Human influenza is a seasonal disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Influenza A viruses are negative strand RNA viruses with a segmented genome that belong to the family of orthomyxoviridae Both influenza A and B viruses can infect humans and cause annual influenza epidemics which result in significant mobidity and mortality worldwide. There are several reports suggesting that resistance in H5N1 viruses can emerge during the currently recommended regimen of oseltamivir therapy and that such resistance may be associated with clinical deterioration [9]. It has been stated that the treatment strategy for influenza A (H5N1) viral infections should include additional antiviral agents. All these highlight the urgent need for new and abundantly available anti-influenza agents
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