Anti‐influenza activity of berberine improves prognosis by reducing viral replication in mice

• Published in: Phytotherapy research Vol. 32; no. 12; pp. 2560 - 2567
• Main Authors: Yan, Yu‐Qi, Fu, Ying‐Jie, Wu, Sha, Qin, Hong‐Qiong, Zhen, Xiao, Song, Bi‐Mei, Weng, Yuan‐Shu, Wang, Peng‐Cheng, Chen, Xiao‐Yin, Jiang, Zhen‐You
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-12-2018
• Subjects: A549 Cells; Animals; Anthelmintic agents; Antiviral activity; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Berberine; Berberine - pharmacology; Berberine - therapeutic use; Biological properties; Chemical compounds; Chick Embryo; Cytokines; Edema; Fungicides; Helper cells; Humans; Infections; Infiltration; Inflammation; Influenza; Influenza A; influenza a virus; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - drug effects; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - physiology; Influenza, Human - diagnosis; Influenza, Human - drug therapy; Influenza, Human - virology; Lungs; Lymphocytes T; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; mRNA; MyD88 protein; Necrosis; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - diagnosis; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - drug therapy; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - virology; Pharmacology; Pneumonia - diagnosis; Pneumonia - drug therapy; Pneumonia - virology; Prognosis; Proteins; Replication; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - drug effects; TLR7 protein; Toll-like receptors; toll‐like receptor 7; Viral infections; Virus Replication - drug effects; toll-like receptor 7; inflammation; influenza a virus; berberine
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.6196

Berberine, a natural isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the berberis species, has a wide array of biological properties such as anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antihelminthic effects. We evaluated the antiviral effect of berberine against influenza A/FM1/1/47 (H1N1) in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that berberine strongly suppressed viral replication in A549 cells and in mouse lungs. Meanwhile, berberine relieved pulmonary inflammation and reduced necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and pulmonary edema induced by viral infection in mice when compared with vehicle‐treated mice. Berberine suppressed the viral infection‐induced up‐regulation of TLR7 signaling pathway, such as TLR7, MyD88, and NF‐κB (p65), at both the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, berberine significantly inhibited the viral infection‐induced increase in Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg ratios as well as the production of inflammatory cytokines. Our data provide new insight into the potential of berberine as a therapeutic agent for viral infection via its antiviral activity.