Inhibitory effect of emodin and Astragalus polysaccharide on the replication of HBV.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the anti-viral effect of emodin plus Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice.


METHODS
Sixty HBV transgenic mice (HBV TGM) whose weight varied between 18 and 24 g were randomly divided into 3 groups, with 20 mice in each group. Group A was the normal control, where the mice were treated with physiological saline; group B was the positive control where the mice were treated with lamivudine solution (100 mL/kg per day). Group C was the experimental group where the mice were treated with physiological saline containing emodin and APS (57.59 mg/kg per day and 287.95 mg/kg per day, respectively). The mice were treated daily for 3 wk. After 1 wk recovery time, the mice were sacrificed and serum as well as liver tissues were collected for ELISA and histological examination.


RESULTS
After 21 d treatment, HBV DNA levels in group B and group C significantly declined when compared with group A (P < 0.05). However, a significant increase in HBV DNA content was observed in group B, whereas this phenomenon was not observed in group C. A reduction in the contents of HBsAg, HBeAg and HBcAg in the mice from group B and C was observed when compared with group A.


CONCLUSIONS
Emodin and APS have a weak but persistent inhibitory effect on HBV replication in vivo, which may function as a supplementary modality in the treatment of hepatitis B infection.
Dang
Shuang-Suo
SS
Department of Infectious Disease, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an, Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shannxi Province, China. dang212@126.com
Jia
Xiao-Li
XL
Song
Ping
P
Cheng
Yan-An
YA
Zhang
Xin
X
Sun
Ming-Zhu
MZ
Liu
En-Qi
EQ
D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D001835:Body Weight; D004642:Emodin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000821:virology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; D004642:Emodin