Protective effects of 20(s)-protopanaxtriol on viral myocarditis infected by coxsackievirus B3.
OBJECTIVE
Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is a dominant causative agent for viral myocarditis. So far, effective therapies for the treatment of the disease are not available. 20(S)-Protopanaxtriol is a major component of Panax pseudoginseng and has been clinically used for the treatment of heart diseases. However, it is not known whether 20(S)-protopanaxtriol exerts any anti-viral effects. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of 20(S)-protopanaxtriol against CVB3 in vivo and in vitro.


METHODS
The antiviral effects of 20(S)-protopanaxtriol in vitro were evaluated in HeLa cells infected by CVB3. Then, we examined the protective effects of 20(S)-protopanaxtriol on CVB3-induced myocarditis in BALB/c mice. These mice were treated with 20(S)-protopanaxtriol at doses of 100-400 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) for 7 days and compared with the controls.


RESULTS
We found that 20(S)-protopanaxtriol possessed potent antiviral effects on CVB3 in vitro. Compared with control mice, virus titers and pathological changes in the hearts were significantly decreased in the 20(S)-protopanaxtriol-treated group. Furthermore, biochemical markers of myocardial injury such as plasma lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase were decreased to normal levels.


CONCLUSIONS
These data provide the possibility that 20(S)-protopanaxtriol can be used as a potential therapeutic means for treatment of viral myocarditis.
Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Xiaoyan
X
Wang
Yafeng
Y
Wang
Zhe
Z
Ren
Chuiwen
C
Qian
Yicheng
Y
Li
Qingduan
Q
Wang
Yan
Y
Zhang
Liyun
L
Zheng
Jinhua
J
Jiang
Chongren
C
Yang
Dong
D
Wang
Yingjun
Y
Zhang
Jianglin
J
Fan
Yifei
Y
Wang
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002470:Cell Survival; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D014315:Triterpenes; C576739:protopanaxtriol; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D003402:Creatine Kinase