Abstract
In this study, we have investigated the antiviral activity of GuiQi polysaccharides (GQP) upon enterovirus 71 (EV71) in vitro. An assay using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), and analyses of cytopathic effects (CPE) were used to examine the antiviral activity of GQP upon Vero cells infected with EV71. The results revealed that GQP at concentrations below 31.2 μg/mL exhibited significant antiviral effects upon EV71 when applied under three different experimental protocols. GQP was most strongly active in preventing the adsorption of EV71 to target cells and in this respect it was significantly more effective than ribavirin. In addition, it was clear that GQP could inhibit viral replication when added to cells 2 h after infection, but if added at the point of infection its effect was weak. GQP is considered to be less toxic than ribavirin, and may warrant further evaluation as a possible agent in the treatment of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Chen L R, Wang W C, Tian W P, W Y, & Zhang X G. 2009. Extraction, characterization of Astragalus polysaccharides and its immune modulating activities in rats with gastric cancer. Carbohyd Polym, 78: 738–742.
Chen S P, Huang YC, Li W C, Chiu C H, Huang C G, Tao K C, Lin T Y. 2010. Comparison of clinical features between coxsackievirus A2 and enterovirus 71 during the enterovirus outbreak in Taiwan, 2008: a children’s hospital experience. J Microbiol Immunol, 43: 99–104.
Chiang L C, Chiang W, Chang M Y, Ng L T, Lin C C. 2002. Antiviral activity of plantago major extracts and related compounds in vitro. Antivir Res, 55: 53–62.
Cho C H, Mei Q B, Shang P, Lee S S, So H L, Guo X, Li Y. 2000. Study of the gastrointestinal protective effects of polysaccharides from Angelica sinensis in rats. Planta Med, 66: 348–351.
Chong H T, Kamarulzaman A, Tan C T, et al. 2001. Treatment of acute Nipah encephalitis with ribavirin. Ann Neurol, 49: 810–813.
Dubois M, Gilles K A, Hamilton J K, Rebers P A, & Smith F. 1956. Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem, 28: 350–356.
Hsu H Y, Peacher W G. 1976. Chinese Herb Medicine and Therapy. Aurora Publishers Incorporated, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Kramer M, Schulte B M, Toonen L W, et al. 2007. Echovirus infection causes rapid loss-of-function and cell death in human dendritic cells. Cell Microbiol, 9:1507–1518.
Lin Y W, Wang K J, Lei H Y, et al. 2002. Virus replication and cytokine production in dengue virus-infected human B lymphocytes. J Virol, 76:12242–12249.
Liu M L, Lee Y P, Wang Y F, et al. 2005. Type I interferons protect mice against enterovirus 71 infection. J Gen Virol, 86: 3263–3269.
Ma X Q, Shi Q, Duan J A, Dong T T, & Tsim K W. 2002. Chemical analysis of Radix Astragali (Huangqi) in China: A comparison with its adulterants and seasonal variations. J Agr Food Chem, 50: 4861–4866.
Mei Q B, Tao J Y, Cui B. 1991. Advances in the pharmacological studies of radix Angelica sinensis (Oliv) Diels (Chinese Danggui). Chin Med J (Engl), 104: 776–781.
Mosmann T I. 1983. Rapid colorimet ric assay for cellular growth and survival application to proliferation and cytotoxicity assays. J Immunol Methods, 75: 55–63.
Nolan M A, Craig M E, Lahra M M, et al. 2003. Survival after pulmonary edema due to enterovirus 71 encephalitis. Neurology, 60: 1651–1656.
Peters C J, Reynolds J A, Slone T W, et al. 1986. Prophylaxis of Rift Valley fever with antiviral drugs, immune serum, an interferon inducer, and a macrophage activator. Antivir Res, 6: 285–297.
Qiao D L, Ke C L, Hu B, Lou J G, Ye H, Sun Y, et al. 2009. Anti-oxidant activities of polysaccharides from Hyriopsis cumingii. Carbohyd Polym, 78: 199–204.
Remesar M C, Blejer J L, Weissenbacher M C, et al. 1988. Ribavirin effect on experimental Junin virus-induced encephalitis. J Med Virol, 26: 79–84.
Schezenmeir J D, Vrese M. 2001. Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics: Approaching a definition. Am. J Clin Nutr, 73: 361–364.
Solomon T, Lewthwaite P, Perera D, Cardosa M J, McMinn P, Ooi M H. 2010. Virology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and control of enterovirus 71. Lancet Infect Dis, 10:778–790.
Sun Y X, & Liu J C. 2009. Purification, structure and immunobiological activity of a water-soluble polysaccharide from the fruiting body of Pleurotus ostreatus. Bioresource Technol, 100: 984–986.
Sun Y X, Liu J C. 2008. Structural characterization of a water-soluble polysaccharide from the Roots of Codonopsis pilosula and its immunity activity. Int J Biol Macromol, 43: 279–282.
Sun Y X, Wang S S, Li T B, Li X, Jiao L L, & Zhang L P. 2008. Purification, structure and immunobiological activity of a new water-soluble polysaccharide from the mycelium of Polyporus albicans(Imaz) Teng. Bioresource Technol, 99: 900–904.
Tin M, Cho C H, Chan K, James A E, Ko J. 2007. Astragalus saponins induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in human colon cancer cells and tumor xenograft. Carcinogenesis, 28: 1347–1355.
Vasiljevic T, Shah N P. 2007. Fermented milk: Health benefits beyond probiotic effect. In: Handbook of Food Product Manufacturing. Hui YH (ed). John Wiley & Sons Incorporated, Hoboken, NJ, USA, pp. 99–116.
Wang J S. 2001. Research Techniques in Agricultural Biochemistry. China Agriculture Press, Beijing. pp. 183–184, 193.
Wang Y F, Chou C T, Lei H Y, et al. 2004. A mouse-adapted enterovirus 71 strain causes neurological disease in mice after oral infection. J Virol, 78: 7916–7924.
Wu K X, Ng M M, Chu J J. 2010. Developments towards antiviral therapies against enterovirus 71. Drug Discov Today, 15: 1041–1051.
Yin Z, Liu J H. 1997. Animal virology [M]. 2nd ed. Beijing: Science Press, pp. 279–280.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pu, X., Wang, H., Li, Y. et al. Antiviral activity of GuiQi polysaccharides against enterovirus 71 in vitro . Virol. Sin. 28, 352–359 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12250-013-3376-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12250-013-3376-8