RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of the extract from gardenia on influenza viral pneumonia in mice and virus-induced cytopathic effect.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The mice were infected by influenza virus in nasal, the lung inflammation, mortality rate and life elongation rate were observed respectively. The anti-viral activity of the extract from gardenia was accessed by cytopathic effect (CPE) in vitro and 0% toxicity concentration (TC0), 50% toxicity concentration (TC50), 50% inhibitor concentration (IC50), therapeutic index (TI) were determined by Reed-Muench method.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The pneumonia induced by influenza virus in mice was inhibited significantly by the extract from gardenia, as the mortality rate decreased and the life elongation rate increased remarkably. Meanwhile the NO content in serum decreased significantly; The cytopathic effect induced by six kinds of viruses was inhibited remarkably.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The six kinds of viruses were inhibited significantly by the extract from gardenia which inhibitory effect on mice influenza viral pneumonia was related to the NO content decreased.</p>