Abstract
Ginseng herbal medicine has been known to have beneficial effects on improving human health. We investigated whether red ginseng extract (RGE) has preventive effects on influenza A virus infection in vivo and in vitro. RGE was found to improve survival of human lung epithelial cells upon influenza virus infection. Also, RGE treatment reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes (IL-6, IL-8) probably in part through interference with the formation of reactive oxygen species by influenza A virus infection. Long-term oral administration of mice with RGE showed multiple immunomodulatory effects such as stimulating antiviral cytokine IFN-γ production after influenza A virus infection. In addition, RGE administration in mice inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the bronchial lumens. Therefore, RGE might have the potential beneficial effects on preventing influenza A virus infections via its multiple immunomodulatory functions.
Highlights
Influenza A virus is an important respiratory tract pathogen that causes seasonal epidemics and pandemics of significant morbidity and mortality
To investigate whether red ginseng extract (RGE) would protect epithelial cells against influenza A viral infection, human alveolar epithelial A549 cells were infected with H1N1 influenza A virus (A/WSN/33) at different
Upon infection of A549 cells with influenza A virus, human epithelial cells showed pronounced morphology of cytopathogenic formation, such as cell rounding and cell detachment leading to cell death (Figure 2)
Summary
Influenza A virus is an important respiratory tract pathogen that causes seasonal epidemics and pandemics of significant morbidity and mortality. Diverse influenza A viruses with different combination of hemagglutinin (HA; 16 subtypes) and neuraminidase (NA; 9 subtypes) have been identified [1]. Vaccination is known to be an effective method preventing influenza disease. Current vaccines are not highly protective if antigenically different new strains emerge such as the recent outbreak of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus [2,3]. It is highly desirable to find a preventive measure that would have protective activity against the emergence of an unexpected influenza strain. The mechanisms by which influenza virus infection causes severe morbidity and mortality remain unclear, it is likely that multiple mechanisms involve in the process of influenza disease. It has been suggested that production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by influenza
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
