Screening Research On Antiviral Components Extracted From Rhubarb Against Coxsackievirus B3 In Vitro

Objective: Screening effective extracts obtained from Rhubarb against Coxsackievirus B3; investgating their anti-CVB3 effects in vitro; Methods: Our research was divided into four stages: The first was to screen the effective extracts. Anti-CVB3 effects of 35 extracts were investigated by observing cytopathic effect (CPE) and adopting MTT colorimetric assay for the assessment of cell viability, and the 50% cytotoxic concentration, the 50% inhibitory concentration and the treatment index was used as a comprehensive criterion to assess the effects of 35 extracts against CVB3. The second stage was to compare the antiviral effects of extracts obtained from two different place of production; The third stage was to compare the antiviral effects of extracts obtained from three different extraction methods; The four stage was to compare two effective extracts by experiments of making viruses inactivated straightly by medicine, medicine blocking adsorption and medicine inhibiting biosynthesis of viruses, to study the anti-CVB3 mechanisms of medicine. Result: 1) Our experiments screened the antiviral activities of thirty-five components extracted from Rhubarb a and Rhubarb b. According to the treatment index ,the components were divided into four group ,including the more effective and less cytotoxic components: 1a-4,2a-5,4a-1,4a-2,4a-3,4b-5;the components having both the antiviral activities and some cytotoxities: 2a-2,2a-5,3a-2,1b-2,2b-1,2b-6,4a-5, 4a-6,4b-1, 4b-2, 4b-6; the components having the antiviral activities but more cytotoxities:1a-3,2a-1,2a-3,2a-4,3a-1, 3a-4,1b-3,1b-4, 2b-2, 2b-3,2b-4,4b-3,4a-4;and the extracts having no effect: 1a-1, 1a-2, 3a-3, 1b-1, 4b-4.2) Results of experiments to compare the difference of the anti-CVB3 effect between Rhubarb a and Rhubarb b suggested that the distinct production places had significant influence on the antiviral activities of extracted components. And the production place of Rhubarb b was better in the method No.2, meanwhile the production place of Rhubarb a was better in the method No.4. 3) Results of experiments to compare the difference of the anti-CVB3 effect for components extracted from Rhubarb a by four kind of methods directed that different Rhubarb components need different extraction method. For example, method four fitted theextraction from component NO.i- NO.3; method one fitted the extraction of component NO.4; 4) The two kind of components tested were turned out to have major inhibitory actions during the period after viruses had penetrated through the cell membrane ,and perform their life cycle.