Traditional Chinese Medicine as a Potential Source for HSV-1 Therapy by Acting on Virus or the Susceptibility of Host

Li W, Wang XH, Luo Z, Liu LF, Yan C, Yan CY, Chen GD, Gao H, Duan WJ, Kurihara H, Li YF, He RR · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2018 October 20

DOI 10.3390/ijms19103266

Objective

To provide a reference for the safe dose of these agents if they are to be used in humans, referring to the interrelated data obtained from in vitro experiments, but also introduce the main pharmacodynamic mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) against HSV-1.

Conclusions

TCM functions as a potential source for HSV-1 therapy by direct (blocking viral attachment/absorption/penetration/replication) or indirect (reducing the susceptibility to HSV-1 or regulating autophagy) antiviral activities. The potential of these active components in the development of anti-HSV-1 drugs will also be described.

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Related insights

Mung bean sprout extract has potent antiviral and to a lesser extent, prophylactic activities against both RSV and HSV-1, and in case of HSV-1, these activities were comparable to Acyclovir.