Drugs to cure avian influenza infection – multiple ways to prevent cell death

Abstract

New treatments and new drugs for avian influenza virus (AIV) infection are developed continually, but there are still high mortality rates. The main reason may be that not all cell death pathways induced by AIV were blocked by the current therapies. In this review, drugs for AIV and associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are summarized. The roles of antioxidant (vitamin C) and multiple immunomodulators (such as Celecoxib, Mesalazine and Eritoran) are discussed. The clinical care of ARDS may result in ischemia reperfusion injury to poorly ventilated alveolar cells. Cyclosporin A should effectively inhibit this kind of damages and, therefore, may be the key drug for the survival of patients with virus-induced ARDS. Treatment with protease inhibitor Ulinastatin could also protect lysosome integrity after the infection. Through these analyses, a large drug combination is proposed, which may hypothetically greatly reduce the mortality rate.

Protective Activity of Ascorbic Acid at Influenza Infection

“…All this should be considered when prescribing vitamin C for the purpose of treating the flu. Nevertheless, the available data indicate the undoubted therapeutic effect of AA as a means of minimizing cell death -one of the leading pathogenetic factors in influenza, including highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 [64].…”

“…Other mammals (about 4000 species) are able to produce AA in the amount of about 50 mg/kg of body weight per day, or, in terms of human body, 5 g/day. This dose is sufficient to ensure the normal functioning of the body and resistance to infections [64].…”

Promising approaches for the treatment and prevention of viral respiratory illnesses

“…47 DAS181 (Fludase, NexBio, Inc, San Diego, Calif) is a fusion construct that cleaves the sialic acid receptors on host cells, and its antiviral spectrum includes IFV and parainfluenza viruses (PIVs). 48 Nonenveloped viruses, such as rhinovirus, release their genomes through a conformational shift of the capsid proteins accompanied by an expansion of the viral shell along with the opening of symmetry-related channels (pores) from which the genome is released (virus uncoating). 49,50 Various capsid-binding compounds against rhinoviruses have been tested (R and WIN series) without ultimate success.…”

Antiviral and antitumor activities of the lectin extracted from Aspidistra elatior

“…Minimum inhibitory concentrations of two anti-viral drugs, (S)-DHPA [23] and ribavirin [24], were higher than those of AEL. The concentrations varied for the different viruses, but the variation patterns differed from that of AEL (Table 1).…”

“…The concentrations varied for the different viruses, but the variation patterns differed from that of AEL (Table 1). (S)-DHPA and ribavirin are ribonucleoside analogs that directly inhibit viral RNA polymerase activity [24], whereas AEL may inhibit virus replication through different mechanisms (see Discussion for details).…”