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Exploring the anti-viral properties of luteolin

11/05/2020 // Evangelyn Rodriguez // Views

Tags: alternative medicine, antiviral, goodhealth, goodmedicine, goodscience, herbal medicine, Herbs, infections, infectious diseases, influenza virus, luteolin, natural cures, natural medicine, phytonutrients, prevention, remedies, respiratory disease, viral replication

In this study, Chinese researchers explored the underlying mechanism of luteolin’s effect on influenza virus-infected cells. They reported their findings in an article published in the Journal of Natural Medicines.

• Influenza is an acute transmissible respiratory disease that affects humans and animals and has high morbidity and mortality rates.
• According to previous studies, luteolin, which is extracted from Chinese herbs, could inhibit the replication of the influenza virus in vitro.
• To examine the antiviral activity of luteolin against the influenza virus, the researchers infected several cell lines with two subtypes of the influenza A virus (IAV), A/Jiangxi/312/2006 (H3N2) and A/Fort Monmouth/1/1947 (H1N1).
• Using the cytopathic effect reduction method, qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence and Western blot assays, they found that luteolin suppressed the replication of IAV.
• A time-of-addition assay also showed that the compound interfered with viral replication at the early stage of infection.
• In addition, the researchers found that luteolin suppressed the expression of coat protein I complex (COPI), which is related to influenza virus entry and the endocytic pathway.
• They attributed this inhibition, at least in part, to luteolin's ability to target the COPI subunit, B-COP.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that the naturally occurring flavonoid, luteolin, is a potent antiviral against the influenza virus.

Read the full article at this link.

Journal Reference:

Yan H, Ma L, Wang H, Wu S, Huang H, Gu Z, Jiang J, Li Y. LUTEOLIN DECREASES THE YIELD OF INFLUENZA A VIRUS IN VITRO BY INTERFERING WITH THE COAT PROTEIN I COMPLEX EXPRESSION. Journal of Natural Medicines. 13 February 2019;73(3):487–496. DOI: 10.1007/s11418-019-01287-7

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