Anti-Viral Herbs in Respiratory Virus

Infections:

A Research Update

Serene Foster
18th October 03
 Anti-Viral Herbs

Hypericum Eleutherococcus Andrographis

Melissa Panax Astragalus

Thuja Glycyrrhiza Echinacea

Baptisia Tabebuia Sambucus

Viral Replication Causes the Symptoms

Replicate for survival

Inflammatory and Innate

Immune Response
Cold symptoms

Fever Muscle aches Rhinitis Sneeze

 Immunity to Virus infections
V
V
V
Epithelial Cells
Pro IL-8 IL-11 IFN-α and IFN-β
Inflammatory
Cytokines Innate Immunity

Anti-viral Macrophages
IL-1 TNF-α ΙFΝ−γ ΝΟ

Adaptive Immunity NK cells

Antibodies T cells IFN-γ
 What do we Expect From Our Herbs?

Direct anti-viral Boost Immunity

•Reduce/inhibit replication •Stimulate innate immunity

•Kill virus directly •Boost specific cellular
•Inhibit spread of virus
immunity
Anti-viral
 The Dilemma ?

Boost Immunity Boost symptoms

 The Balance

Immunostimulation Immunomodulation

Boost Immunity Reduce Symptoms

Duration Severity
 Anti-Viral Research

Stimulate cells with anti-viral activity

Natural Killer cells

Neutrophils
IFN-γ
Kill virus infected cells
IFN-γ Macrophages
IL-6 TNF-α IL-12 NO
 Activation of NK cells by Echinacea
Human peripheral blood

Echinacea 16 hours

Activated CD69+ cells

CD16+ CD56+ NK cells

Frequency Activates lysis

Gan et al, 03 (Phytomedicine)
Wagner & Jurcic, 02 (Phytomedicine) Glycerrhiza and Echinacea
 Activation of Macrophages by Echinacea

Alveolar macrophages in rats (BAL)

Echinacea by gavage 4 days
Cichoric acid polysaccharides
alkylamides

TNF-α IFN-γ NO

Phagocytic activity

Goel et al, 02 (J Nutritional Biochemistry)

(Reninger et al, 00, mouse macrophages, ex-vivo human PBMC’s)
 Immunomodulation by a herbal mixture

Thuja Baptisia Echinacea

(orally)

IL-2 IFN-γ GM-CSF IL-1 TNF-α

Spleen cells (mice) Peritoneal macrophages

Bodinet et al, 02 (Phytomedicine)

 Antibody Response to Sheep Red Cells

Thuja Baptisia Echinacea (9 days)

(orally)

SRBC’s

Antibody Response

Bodinet et al, 02
Activation of whole blood by Eleutherococcus

Human PBMC’s

Eleutherococcus

Rantes IL-6 IL-12

 Activation of Peripheral blood

Andrographis and Eleutherococcus

HPBL HPBL PHA plus extracts

SHA-10 SHE-3

IFN-γ TNF-α

Neopterin β2m sIL-2R Neopterin β2m

Panossian et al, 02 (Phytomedicine)

 Inflammatory pathway

Arachidonic acid

5’-lipoxygenase Cyclo-oxygenase

Prostaglandins
Anti-inflammatory effects of Echinacea and Hypericum

Mice paw oedema

Hypericum + Echinacea
Echinacea

iNOS COX-2 COX-2

Raso et al, 02 (J Pharm Pharmacol)

 Anti-Viral Activity

IFN like activity Direct anti-viral

Increased viral antigen on cells Eleutherococcus
Echinacea
 Clinical trials

Anti-inflammatories Anti-Virals (HRV)

Ibruprofen Pleconaril
Anti-Viral activity of Eleutherococcus

Virus infected cells

Eleutherococcus

Virus plaque assays

Anti-Viral effects of
Eleutherococcus
 Combat the Common cold

•Activation of the immune response

Mφ NK cells Antibody

•Modulation of the immune response

Inhibition of activation
Regulatory cytokine production
Inhibition of inflammation
•Direct anti-viral activity
 Our Aim as Phytotherapists

Reduce duration and cold symptoms

Mix of herbs – stimulatory and modulatory

Echinacea and Eleutherococcus