title: Effects of herbal medicinal formulas on suppressing viral replication and modulating immune responses.
abstract: The Chinese medicinal herbs Radix Isatidis and Viola yedoensis Makino have been suggested to possess antiviral activity. This study tests whether these and other Chinese and Western herbal medicinal formulas can modulate the immune functions involving virus-suppression in BALB/c mouse. We first confirmed the extract from Viola yedoensis Makino, but not from Radix Isatidis, the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula Chui-Uren-Chien (CUC), or a Western homeopathic medicinal drink Método Canova, could inhibit the replications of herpes simplex virus-1 and enterovirus 71 in the human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cell line. Subsequently, the same herbal extracts and drink underwent toxicity and immunomodulatory tests on mice of 5-7 weeks old. After 8 weeks of feeding different herbal medicinal formulas, no hepatic or renal toxicity was noted in any tested animal; whereas among the immune function evaluations, only the mice treated with CUC extract were found to be associated with significant increases (p < 0.05) in both the level of plasma IgG and the percentage of monocyte in blood mononuclear cells as well as the activation of macrophage Raw264.7 cells for nitric oxide production, suggesting its role in modulating the non-specific immune response. Analyses using protein arrays showed CUC was the most potent herbal medicinal formula eliciting fluctuations in plasma cytokine and chemokine concentrations. Taking all experimental data together, we conclude Chui-Uren-Chien possesses immunomodulatory capability in mouse, but none of the herbal medicinal formulas tested here are involved in strengthening antiviral immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Chiayi University, Taiwan. liaohf@mail.ncyu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Hui-Fen
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Min-Chi
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hon-Chou
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Cheng-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Chih-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Zong-Huei
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chin-Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ching
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029821:Enterovirus A, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D008419:Materia Medica; D009569:Nitric Oxide