title: Red Ginseng-containing diet helps to protect mice and ferrets from the lethal infection by highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus.
abstract: The highly pathogenic (HP) H5N1 influenza virus is endemic in many countries and has a great potential for a pandemic in humans. The immune-enhancing prowess of ginseng has been known for millennia. We aimed to study whether mice and ferrets fed with Red Ginseng could be better protected from the lethal infections of HP H5N1 influenza virus than the infected unfed mice and ferrets. We fed mice and ferrets with Red Ginseng prior to when they were infected with HP H5N1 influenza virus. The mice and ferrets fed with a 60-day diet containing Red Ginseng could be protected from lethal infections by HP H5N1 influenza virus (survival rate of up to 45% and 40%, respectively). Interferon-α and -γ antiviral cytokines were significantly induced in the lungs of mice fed Red Ginseng, compared to mice fed an unsupplemented diet. These data suggest that the diet with the immune-enhancing Red Ginseng could help humans to overcome the infections by HP H5N1 influenza virus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Hye
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yum
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Keun Bon
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Heui Man
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Myong
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Cheol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji An
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoo Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Influenza Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea ; Division of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Influenza Virus, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Heui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Seo
keywords: H5N1; Panax ginseng; influenza; interferon; pandemic