Anti‐influenza activity of berberine improves prognosis by reducing viral replication in mice

Abstract

Berberine, a natural isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the berberis species, has a wide array of biological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antihelminthic effects. We evaluated the antiviral effect of berberine against influenza A/FM1/1/47 (H1N1) in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that berberine strongly suppressed viral replication in A549 cells and in mouse lungs. Meanwhile, berberine relieved pulmonary inflammation and reduced necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and pulmonary edema induced by viral infection in mice when compared with vehicle-treated mice. Berberine suppressed the viral infection-induced up-regulation of TLR7 signaling pathway, such as TLR7, MyD88, and NF-κB (p65), at both the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, berberine significantly inhibited the viral infectioninduced increase in Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg ratios as well as the production of inflammatory cytokines. Our data provide new insight into the potential of berberine as a therapeutic agent for viral infection via its antiviral activity.

Berberine suppresses influenza virus-triggered NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages by inducing mitophagy and decreasing mitochondrial ROS

“…BBR alleviated pulmonary inflammation and pulmonary edema induced by influenza virus in mice 31,57 . Our results also confirmed this beneficial effects of BBR in mice with influenza viral pneumonia.…”

Biologically active isoquinoline alkaloids covering 2014–2018

“…[248][249][250] Berberine suppressed viral infection-induced upregulation in the TLR7 signaling pathway, such as TLR7, MyD88, and NF-κB (p65), at both the Mrna and protein levels, as well as significantly inhibited the viral-induced increases in Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg ratios and inflammatory cytokine production. 251 In addition, berberine inhibited EV71…”

Berberine Hampers Influenza A Replication through Inhibition of MAPK/ERK Pathway

“…The results obtained with a second commonly used model based on A549 cells are also slightly confusing. While the activity of BBR has been reported in these cells [21], other reports show a strong cytotoxic activity of BBR towards cancerous cells, including A549 cells [10,30]. Indeed, while the effective concentration was rather low, the cytotoxic concentration was also low, and it was impossible to determine whether the observed effect is not an artifact.…”

“…We conclude that BBR hampers replication of the influenza A virus in MDCK cells, but to a much lesser extent than in other in vitro models [19,28]. Next, the human pulmonary tumor cell line A549 was assayed, as inhibition of the influenza virus by BBR in this cell line has been consistently reported [19,21]. Many reports show a high toxicity of BBR to cancer cells, including the A549 cell line [29,30], therefore BBR has been proposed as an antineoplastic drug candidate.…”