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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2006; 12(25): 4078-4081
Published online Jul 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i25.4078
In vitro screening of traditionally used medicinal plants in China against Enteroviruses
Jin-Peng Guo, Ji Pang, Xin-Wei Wang, Zhi-Qiang Shen, Min Jin, Jun-Wen Li
Jin-Peng Guo, Ji Pang, Xin-Wei Wang, Zhi-Qiang Shen, Min Jin, Jun-Wen Li, Department of Environment and Health, Institute of Environment and Health, Tianjin 300050, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Jun-Wen Li, Department of Environment and Health, Institute of Environment and Health, 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, China. junwenli@eyou.com
Telephone: +86-22-84655418 Fax: +86-22-23328809
Received: November 21, 2005
Revised: December 15, 2005
Accepted: December 22, 2005
Published online: July 7, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To search for new antiviral agents from traditional Chinese medicine, specifically anti-enterovirosuses agents.

METHODS: The aqueous extracts (AE) of more than 100 traditionally used medicinal plants in China were evaluated for their In vitro anti-Coxsackie virus B3 activities with a MTT-based colorimetric assay.

RESULTS: The test for AE of 16 plants exhibited anti-Coxsackie virus B3 activities at different magnitudes of potency. They can inhibit three steps (inactivation, adsorption and replication) during the infection. Among the 16 plants, Sargentodoxa cuneata (Oliv.) Rehd. et Wils., Sophora tonkinensis Gapnep., Paeonia veitchii Lynch, Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. and Cyrtomium fortunei J. sm. also have activity against other enterovirus, including Coxsackie virus B5, Polio virus I, Echo virus 9 and Echo virus 29. Cell cytotoxic assay demonstrated that all tested AE had CC50 values higher than their EC50 values.

CONCLUSION: The sixteen traditionally used medicinal plants in China possessed antiviral activity, and some of them merit further investigations.

Keywords: Traditional used medicinal plant; China; Antiviral activity; Enterovirus; Sargentodoxa cuneata (Oliv) Reld. et. Wils.; Sophora tonkinensis Gapnep.; Paeonia veitchii Lynch.; Cyrtomium fortunei J. sm.; Spatholobus suberectus Dunn