Abstract
The 2009 flu pandemic and the appearance of oseltamivir-resistant H1N1 influenza strains highlight the need for treatment alternatives. One such option is the creation of a protective physical barrier in the nasal cavity. In vitro tests demonstrated that iota-carrageenan is a potent inhibitor of influenza A virus infection, most importantly also of pandemic H1N1/2009 in vitro. Consequently, we tested a commercially available nasal spray containing iota-carrageenan in an influenza A mouse infection model. Treatment of mice infected with a lethal dose of influenza A PR8/34 H1N1 virus with iota-carrageenan starting up to 48 hours post infection resulted in a strong protection of mice similar to mice treated with oseltamivir. Since alternative treatment options for influenza are rare, we conclude that the nasal spray containing iota-carrageenan is an alternative to neuraminidase inhibitors and should be tested for prevention and treatment of influenza A in clinical trials in humans.
Highlights
While the current H1N1 influenza pandemic was ongoing in 2010, efforts were made to develop new antiviral agents for influenza treatment that possess an improved spectrum of activity or better pharmacologic profiles, compared to current treatments
We determined the sensitivity of the influenza virus strain H1N1 (A/PR8/34) and the formerly pandemic H3N2 (A/Aichi/2/68) to carrageenans of subtypes iota and kappa by plaque reduction assays in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells [41,41]
In this report we demonstrate that iota-carrageenan, a biopolymer derived from red seaweed, is a potent inhibitor of influenza virus infectivity in vitro and in vivo
Summary
While the current H1N1 influenza (flu) pandemic was ongoing in 2010, efforts were made to develop new antiviral agents for influenza treatment that possess an improved spectrum of activity or better pharmacologic profiles, compared to current treatments. The medical need for the development of new antiviral agents for the treatment of influenza virus-infected patients is mainly based on increasing resistance against currently approved drugs and on their limited antiviral efficacy in severe cases of influenza [1]. Uncoating of influenza A viruses is induced by the viral M2 ion channel protein and can be blocked by the adamantane-based compounds amantadine and rimantadine [2,3]. Clinically effective, these drugs caused considerable gastrointestinal and neurological side-effects in patients [4]. Alternative treatment options are urgently needed as the current choice of drugs is limited and resistance is a constant threat [20]
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