Scutellaria baicalensis: a promising natural source of antiviral compounds for the treatment of viral diseases / 中国天然药物

Viruses, the smallest microorganisms, continue to present an escalating threat to human health, being the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Over the decades, although significant progress has been made in the development of therapies and vaccines against viral diseases, the need for effective antiviral interventions remains urgent. This urgency stems from the lack of effective vaccines, the severe side effects associated with current drugs, and the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains. Natural plants, particularly traditionally-used herbs, are often considered an excellent source of medicinal drugs with potent antiviral efficacy, as well as a substantial safety profile. Scutellaria baicalensis, a traditional Chinese medicine, has garnered considerable attention due to its extensive investigation across diverse therapeutic areas and its demonstrated efficacy in both preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we mainly focused on the potential antiviral activities of ingredients in Scutellaria baicalensis, shedding light on their underlying mechanisms of action and therapeutic applications in the treatment of viral infections.

Alleviating Japanese encephalitis virus infection with multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To evaluate the effects of sunitinib on Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection in vitro and vivo. Methods　The 4-week-old BALB/c mice infected with JEV by intraperitoneal injection. The infected mice were treated with sunitinib for 5 days and 10 days respectively. After that, the change of weight and survival rate were evaluated continuously. The viral load variation in mice brain were detected by qRT-PCR. Indirect immunohistochemical staining assay (IFA) was used to detect the number and distribution of CD4+/CD8+T cells in mouse brain. IFA was also used to observe the expression of virus E protein in the brain of mice. Vero cells were infected with JEV in vitro and given a certain concentration of sunitinib to observe the cell survival status. The expression of virus E protein in cells was detected by IFA. Results　Continuous administration of sunitinib significantly improved the survival rate of infected mice. Survival rate and body weight changes showed that the 5-day's administration strategy was significantly better than the 10-day's administration strategy. The treatment of sunitinib decreased the infiltration of CD4+/CD8+T cells in the brain and reduced the changes of vascular sleeve. However, the variation of viral load and E protein expression in brain were not obvious. The cytopathic effect (CPE) of infected Vero cells were slightly relieved after giving sunitinib, and the expression of E protein was also slightly changed. Conclusion　Sunitinib can significantly reduce the mortality of infected mice, and the 5-day's administration strategy is significantly better than the 10-day's administration strategy. Sunitinib decrease T lymphocyte infiltration in brain of mice, relieve the encephalitis symptoms ,and prolonged the life of mice.