title: Epimedium koreanum Nakai displays broad spectrum of antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo by inducing cellular antiviral state.
abstract: Epimedium koreanum Nakai has been extensively used in traditional Korean and Chinese medicine to treat a variety of diseases. Despite the plant's known immune modulatory potential and chemical make-up, scientific information on its antiviral properties and mode of action have not been completely investigated. In this study, the broad antiviral spectrum and mode of action of an aqueous extract from Epimedium koreanum Nakai was evaluated in vitro, and moreover, the protective effect against divergent influenza A subtypes was determined in BALB/c mice. An effective dose of Epimedium koreanum Nakai markedly reduced the replication of Influenza A Virus (PR8), Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) in RAW264.7 and HEK293T cells. Mechanically, we found that an aqueous extract from Epimedium koreanum Nakai induced the secretion of type I IFN and pro-inflammatory cytokines and the subsequent stimulation of the antiviral state in cells. Among various components present in the extract, quercetin was confirmed to have striking antiviral properties. The oral administration of Epimedium koreanum Nakai exhibited preventive effects on BALB/c mice against lethal doses of highly pathogenic influenza A subtypes (H1N1, H5N2, H7N3 and H9N2). Therefore, an extract of Epimedium koreanum Nakai and its components play roles as immunomodulators in the innate immune response, and may be potential candidates for prophylactic or therapeutic treatments against diverse viruses in animal and humans.
authors.affiliation: Korean Medicine (KM) Based Herbal Drug Development Group, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Deajeon 305-764, Korea. wkcho@kiom.re.kr.
authors.forename: Won-Kyung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, 220 Gung-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. prasannapdn05@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Prasanna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weeratunga
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, 220 Gung-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. byeonghoon_2@naver.com.
authors.forename: Byeong-Hoon
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, 220 Gung-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. pjs123a@naver.com.
authors.forename: Jun-Seol
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, 220 Gung-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. cjkim@cnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Chul-Joong
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Korean Medicine (KM) Based Herbal Drug Development Group, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Deajeon 305-764, Korea. jyma@kiom.re.kr.
authors.forename: Jin Yeul
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, 220 Gung-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. jongsool@cnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jong-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D034181:Epimedium / Q000737:chemistry*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009522:Newcastle disease virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018116:Vesiculovirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D010936:Plant Extracts