title: Therapeutic efficacy of Hypericum perforatum L. extract for mice infected with an influenza A virus.
abstract: Hypericum perforatum  L., a plant used in Chinese herbal medicine, has been proven effective against many viral diseases. In the present study, the therapeutic efficacy of an extract of H. perforatum (HPE) against influenza A virus (IAV) was investigated in mice. Whether HPE would be a promising agent for influenza treatment was evaluated by measuring the protection rate, mean survival days, lung index, and viral titer, as well as the secretion of IL-6, interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in lung tissue and serum on days 3 and 5 post-infection. The results showed that HPE could reduce the lung index and viral titer of mice infected with IAV, decrease mortality, and prolong the mean survival time. HPE decreased the concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α in lung tissue and serum on day 5 post-infection. In contrast, HPE enhanced the lung and serum levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ on the days 3 and 5 post-infection. Our study indicates that HPE has significant therapeutic efficacy for mice infected with IAV. The possible reasons for these results were concluded to be pertaining to up-regulating the expression of IL-10 and IFN-γ, and down-regulating the secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α in lung and serum.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China. puhl02@163.com
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiuying
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jianping
authors.forename: Shang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruofeng
authors.forename: Zhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liye
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xuehong
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D020902:Hypericum / Q000737:chemistry; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C556062:IL10 protein, mouse; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D012254:Ribavirin; D007371:Interferon-gamma