title: Efficacy of orally administered Lobelia chinensis extracts on herpes simplex virus type 1 infection in BALB/c mice.
abstract: By a plaque reduction assay, methanolic extracts from Lobelia chinensis (LC) significantly blocked herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) replication in HeLa cells without apparent cytotoxicity. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of LC on HSV-1 replication is 139.2 microg/ml. To elucidate LC anti-HSV-1 activity in vivo, BALB/c mice were injected subcutaneously with HSV-1 (2.5 x 10(6)PFU/50 microl), treated orally thrice a day with acyclovir (60 mg/kg/dose) or LC (20 and 50 mg/kg/dose) for 7 days, and inspected daily for signs of disease. Data from the scoring system indicated that animals infected with HSV-1, developed progressive zoster lesions starting 2 days postinfection (p.i.) and appeared the most serious syndromes at 4-5 days p.i. In marked contrast to the results with control mice, treatment with acyclovir or 50 mg/kg/dose LC resulted in a sustained protective effect. The HSV-1 titers and DNA levels in ground skin samples were significantly reduced by LC. No toxic effect of LC on liver and kidney functions was apparent. These results indicated that LC was a potent inhibitor of the in vitro and in vivo replication of HSV-1.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Life Science, Fu-Jen University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. 021553@mail.fju.edu.tw
authors.forename: Yuh-Chi
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Yuh-Chi
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yann-Lii
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Leu
authors.forename: Wei-Jern
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Shi-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology; D029746:Lobelia / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000212:Acyclovir