Antiviral Effects of Aqueous Extract from Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. against Coxsackievirus B3 in Mice

Objective: To investigate the antiviral effects of the aqueous extract of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. (A.E.), a Chinese medicinal herb, against coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). Methods: The antiviral effects of A.E. against CVB3 in vitro (primarily cultured myocardial cells) and in vivo (BALB/c mice) were determined. Serum pharmacological method was also adopted by in vitro experiments. The effects of A.E. inhibiting the CVB3 mRNA expression were compared by RT-PCR in mice in vivo. Results: A.E. exhibited obvious antiviral effects in vivo, and serum samples obtained from the rats with oral administration of A.E. (10 mu g/mL, 5 mu g/mL) reduced the virus titers in the infected myocardial cells (3.00 +/- 0.70, 3.55 +/- 0.52, P<0.01). Meanwhile, the viral myocarditis induced by CVB3 was inhibited significantly by A.E., and the 15-day mortality was reduced to 40% and 45% (P<0.01) in mice treated with A.E. at doses of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively, while the 30-day mortality was decreased to 45% and 50%, respectively (P<0.01). Moreover, the mRNA expression of Coxsackie virus B3 was significantly inhibited by A.E. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. (A.E.) has inhibitory effect on CVB3 both in vitro and in vivo.