ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the in vitro anti-Coxsackievirus B3m (CVB3m) effect of sophocarpine(SC) extracted from Sophora flavescens, a traditional Chinese herb. Methods HeLa cells were cultured and the micro-dose cytopathic effect (CPE) assays were applied to detect the toxicity of SC. CPE-inhibitory assays were used to observe the in vitro anti-CVB3m effect of SC. MTT and crystal assays were introduced to examine the anti-CVB3m effect of SC. HeLa cells were infected with CVB3m and added with SC in different concentrations 15 h later.The viability and number of survival of HeLa cells were determined by MTT and crystal violet assays, respectively. Results No toxicity was found on HeLa cells by SC with concentrations 100 ?g/mL, SC could accelerate and aggravate the CPE. SC could protect the CVB3m-infected HeLa cells with concentrations from 1.56 to 25 ?g/mL, and the viability and cell number measured by MTT and crystal violet assay in the SC-handled cells were higher and bigger than those in the virus infected ones. However, the inhibitory effect of virus was exacerbated with higher concentrations (50 and 100 ?g/mL), and the cell number and viability of the SC-handled cells were smaller and lower than those of the infected ones. Conclusion SC with a proper concentration has the in vitro anti-CVB3m effect and may protect HeLa cells from CVB3m infection.