The Experimental Study Of Roughhaired Holly Root On Influenza Virus FM1 Strain

Influenza is a kind of infectious disease caused by influenza virus, whichis one of orthomyxoviruses. Influenza virus has three kinds of serotype, A,B and C. There are several subtypes in every serotype. The categorization basedon the difference of Heamagglutinin(HA) and Neuraminidase(NA). The influenzavirus A has 13 HA subtypes and 9 NA ones. Among the total, H1～H3 and N1～N2 are correlated human influenza virse. The A virse, which exisets in thenature widely, can affect pourty, pigs, horses or any other animals, besideshumanbeing. The B virus is found in human being only, and the C virus is epidemicin human and pigs. Millions of people were killed by influenza during theepidemic in the 20th century. Large manpower and material resources have beenthrown into the study in attempt to find out effective ways to cure and preventthe infectious disease in every country.The herb roughhaired holly root has much effectiveness, such asheat-clearing; Promote the production of body fluid, promoting blood flow anddetoxication. It is used in Guangdong herbal tea usually. Many Chinese doctorsprescribe this herb for influenza and SARS. While, there are no reports aboutanti-influenza virus of roughhaired holly root. The study aims to demonstratethe antiviral effect and mechanism of the herb.Literature reviewReview of the ancient literature and up-dated data on the influenza virus were done. It is well recognized that the epidemics of influenza occurred atregular intervals. When the viral H and N were both changed, the major pandemicbroke out. Though medicine such as amantadine, rimantadine and ribavirin caninhibit the influenza virus, the side effects of these drugs minimize theirclinical uses. Up to date, this infectious disease has not been controlledeffectively. It is believed that Traditional Chinese Medicine would play animportant role in the treatment and prevention of influenza.Laboratorial studyStudy the antiviral effect and its mechanism of roughhaired holly rootin treating influenza pneumonia in vitro and in vivo, through observation oflung index, death rate of infected mice. Furthermore investigate the levelof cytokine of TNF—α,INF—γ,IL—10 and subtype of lymophcytes (CD₃⁺,CD₄⁺,CD₈⁺) in blood serum of mice to study the mechanism of this therapeusis.Results are as follows: roughhaired holly root has anti-virus effect in vivoand in vitro; It can adjust the concentration of TNF—α,INF—γ, IL—10 andsubtype of lymophcytes (CD₃⁺,CD₄⁺,CD₈⁺) in blood serum of mice. The resultindicates that roughhaired holly root can raise the cell-mediated immunityof mice, and adjust the balance of cytokines. Maybe this is the mechanism thatthe herb anti-influenza of mice.