The inhibitory effect of astragalus membranaceus on coxsackie B-3 virus RNA replication.
Using mice infected with coxsackie B-3 virus (CVB3) as a viral myocarditis model, we observed the inhibitory effect of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) on CVB3-RNA replication in myocardial tissue of mice by RNA-RNA in situ hybridization with negative-strand RNA probes labelled with 35S and quantitative imaging analysis of positive signals. The mechanism of its effect on CVB3-RNA replication has been investigated by detection of beta-interferon (beta-IFN) as well. Results showed that the copy numbers of CVB3-RNA as well as the histologic scores (necrosis) in myocardial tissues of infected-AM treated mice were significantly lower than those in infected and normal saline treated mice, suggesting that AM could inhibit the replication of CVB3-RNA, but its effect on CVB3-RNA replication had no correlation with induction of beta-IFN.
Peng
T
T
Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhong Shan Hospital of Shanghai Medical University.
Yang
Y
Y
Riesemann
H
H
Kandolf
R
R
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016899:Interferon-beta