Lianhuaqingwen exerts anti-viral and anti-inflammatory activity against novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

Li Runfeng, Hou Yunlong, Huang Jicheng, Pan Weiqi, Ma Qinhai, Shi Yongxia, Li Chufang, Zhao Jin, Jia Zhenhua, Jiang Haiming, Zheng Kui, Huang Shuxiang, Dai Jun, Li Xiaobo, Hou Xiaotao, Wang Lin, Zhong Nanshan, Yang Zifeng, Li Runfeng, Hou Yunlong, Huang Jicheng, Pan Weiqi, Ma Qinhai, Shi Yongxia, Li Chufang, Zhao Jin, Jia Zhenhua, Jiang Haiming, Zheng Kui, Huang Shuxiang, Dai Jun, Li Xiaobo, Hou Xiaotao, Wang Lin, Zhong Nanshan, Yang Zifeng

Abstract

Purpose: Lianhuaqingwen (LH) as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula has been used to treat influenza and exerted broad-spectrum antiviral effects on a series of influenza viruses and immune regulatory effects Ding et al. (2017). The goal of this study is to demonstrate the antiviral activity of LH against the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus and its potential effect in regulating host immune response.

Methods: The antiviral activity of LH against SARS-CoV-2 was assessed in Vero E6 cells using CPE and plaque reduction assay. The effect of LH on virion morphology was visualized under transmission electron microscope. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression levels upon SARS-CoV-2 infection in Huh-7 cells were measured by real-time quantitative PCR assays.

Results: LH significantly inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cells and markedly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, CCL-2/MCP-1 and CXCL-10/IP-10) production at the mRNA levels. Furthermore, LH treatment resulted in abnormal particle morphology of virion in cells.

Conclusions: LH significantly inhibits the SARS-COV-2 replication, affects virus morphology and exerts anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. These findings indicate that LH protects against the virus attack, making its use a novel strategy for controlling the COVID-19 disease.

Keywords: Anti-inflammatory; Coronavirus; Lianhuaqingwen; SARS-CoV-2.

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Cytotoxic effect of the LH and remdesivir on Vero E6 cells (A, B) and Huh-7 cells (C, D). Data are presented as mean ± SD. The experiments were performed in triplicate.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Antiviral activity of LH and remdesivir against SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells. (A, B) The inhibitory curve for LH and remdesivir. (C) Plaque reduction assay of LH against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Data are representative of three independent experiments.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Virions in the ultra sections of infected Vero E6 cells under electron microscope. (A, F) uninfected cells, (B, G) mock-treated SARS-CoV-2 virus infected cells, (C, D, H, I) infected cells with LH treatment, (E, J) infected cells with remdesivir treatment. White arrows indicated the spindle sharp of viral particles in infected cells with LH treatment.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Effects of LH treatment on the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory mediators in SARS-CoV-2-infected Huh-7 cells. A: TNF-α, B: IL-6, C: CCL-2/MCP-1, D: CXCL-10/IP-10. Data are presented as the mean ± SD obtained from three separate experiments. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001, compared with mock-treated cells.

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