Effect of Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41), a Japanese herbal medicine, on the survival of mice infected with influenza virus.
The antiviral effect of Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41), a Japanese herbal medicine, was investigated using mice infected with influenza virus. TJ-41 was found to increase the survival rate, prolong the mean survival days, suppress viral growth in bronchoalveolar labage fluid (BALF) and inhibit the lung index (lung consolidation) on day 4 after infection in mice infected with influenza, after the agent had been administered orally once daily from day 7 to 2 before infection and from day 0 to 4 after infection. Administration of TJ-41 decreased the BALF concentrations of IL-1alpha, IL-6 and GM-CSF, but not TNF-alpha or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), on day 4 after infection. In addition, TJ-41 elevated the level of IFN-alpha in BALF on day 2 after infection. Yet, TJ-41 did not show any inhibitory effect on the growth of influenza virus in vitro. These results suggest that TJ-41 exerts its inhibitory effect on influenza virus infection via enhancement of the host immune responses in this experimental murine system.
Mori
K
K
Kampo Pharmacology Department, Central Research Laboratories, Tsumara, Ibaraki, Japan.
Kido
T
T
Daikuhara
H
H
Sakakibara
I
I
Sakata
T
T
Shimizu
K
K
Amagaya
S
S
Sasaki
H
H
Komatsu
Y
Y
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000032:analysis; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C402943:bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor