title: Aronia melanocarpa and its components demonstrate antiviral activity against influenza viruses.
abstract: The influenza virus is highly contagious in human populations around the world and results in approximately 250,000-500,000 deaths annually. Vaccines and antiviral drugs are commonly used to protect susceptible individuals. However, the antigenic mismatch of vaccines and the emergence of resistant strains against the currently available antiviral drugs have generated an urgent necessity to develop a novel broad-spectrum anti-influenza agent. Here we report that Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry, Aronia), the fruit of a perennial shrub species that contains several polyphenolic constituents, possesses in vitro and in vivo efficacy against different subtypes of influenza viruses including an oseltamivir-resistant strain. These anti-influenza properties of Aronia were attributed to two constituents, ellagic acid and myricetin. In an in vivo therapeutic mouse model, Aronia, ellagic acid, and myricetin protected mice against lethal challenge. Based on these results, we suggest that Aronia is a valuable source for antiviral agents and that ellagic acid and myricetin have potential as influenza therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Hallym University, 1 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 200-702, Republic of Korea; Center for Medical Science Research, College of Medicine, Hallym University, 1 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 200-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sehee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ilseob
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sangmoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Min-Woong
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Joon-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Donghwan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang-Zin
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Man-Seong
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002460:Cell Line; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000494:pharmacology; D046936:Photinia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D059808:Polyphenols; D004610:Ellagic Acid; D053139:Oseltamivir; C040015:myricetin
keywords: Antiviral; Influenza virus; Polyphenol; Therapeutics