Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a statin/caffeine combination against H5N1, H3N2 and H1N1 virus infection in BALB/c mice.
The development of novel antiviral drugs is necessary for the prevention and treatment of a potential avian influenza pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel statin/caffeine combination against H5N1, H3N2 and H1N1 virus infection in a murine model. In H5N1-, H3N2- and H1N1-infected BALB/c mice, 50mug statin/200mug caffeine effectively ameliorated lung damage and inhibited viral replication and was at least as effective as oseltamivir and ribavirin. The statin/caffeine combination also appeared to be more effective when administered preventatively rather than as treatment. These findings provide justification for further research into this novel antiviral formulation.
Liu
Zeyu
Z
School of Public Health, State Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control Research, Sun Yat-sen University, 74# Zhongshan 2 Road, Guangzhou 510080, PR China.
Guo
Zhongmin
Z
Wang
Guoling
G
Zhang
Dingmei
D
He
Hongxuan
H
Li
Guowei
G
Liu
Yuge
Y
Higgins
Denise
D
Walsh
Aoiffe
A
Shanahan-Prendergast
Leo
L
Lu
Jiahai
J
D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002645:Chickens; D004285:Dogs; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004338:Drug Combinations; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D053139:Oseltamivir; D002110:Caffeine