Lianhuaqingwen exerts anti-viral and anti-inflammatory activity against novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

• Published in: Pharmacological research Vol. 156; p. 104761
• Main Authors: Runfeng, Li, Yunlong, Hou, Jicheng, Huang, Weiqi, Pan, Qinhai, Ma, Yongxia, Shi, Chufang, Li, Jin, Zhao, Zhenhua, Jia, Haiming, Jiang, Kui, Zheng, Shuxiang, Huang, Jun, Dai, Xiaobo, Li, Xiaotao, Hou, Lin, Wang, Nanshan, Zhong, Zifeng, Yang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2020; Published by Elsevier Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-inflammatory; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Betacoronavirus - drug effects; Betacoronavirus - ultrastructure; Cell Line; Chlorocebus aethiops; Coronavirus; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Lianhuaqingwen; Microscopy, Electrochemical, Scanning; SARS-CoV-2; Lianhuaqingwen; SARS-CoV-2; Coronavirus; Anti-inflammatory
• ISSN: 1043-6618; 1096-1186; 1096-1186
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104761

Lianhuaqingwen (LH) as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula has been used to treat influenza and exerted broad-spectrum antiviral effects on a series of influenza viruses and immune regulatory effects Ding et al. (2017). The goal of this study is to demonstrate the antiviral activity of LH against the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus and its potential effect in regulating host immune response. The antiviral activity of LH against SARS-CoV-2 was assessed in Vero E6 cells using CPE and plaque reduction assay. The effect of LH on virion morphology was visualized under transmission electron microscope. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression levels upon SARS-CoV-2 infection in Huh-7 cells were measured by real-time quantitative PCR assays. LH significantly inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cells and markedly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, CCL-2/MCP-1 and CXCL-10/IP-10) production at the mRNA levels. Furthermore, LH treatment resulted in abnormal particle morphology of virion in cells. LH significantly inhibits the SARS-COV-2 replication, affects virus morphology and exerts anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. These findings indicate that LH protects against the virus attack, making its use a novel strategy for controlling the COVID-19 disease.