Application of Apigenin Antiviral in Anti-influenza Virus

Ⅰ. About apigenin antiviral

Influenza virus attaches to Orthomyxoviridae, single negative stranded RNA virus, and its host widely spreads in the nature. The flu caused by influenza virus is a kind of severe respiratory disease, which can lead to relatively high incidence rate and death rate of humans and animals. Flu will break out each year, and cause huge damage to our world. However, until now, there are only two methods for treating flu virus, one is restrained by M2 ion channel, and the other is restrained by neuraminidase inhibitors, but both treatment means will produce great drug resistance. Therefore, it is quite important and urgent to find a safe and effective anti-influenza agent.

Flavonoid, widely spread as secondary metabolite of plants, has played important role in plant physiology, with many potential biological benefits, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammatory effect, anti-cancer, anti-bacteria, anti-fungal, and anti-viral activity. The potential anti-viral activity of apigenin antiviral has been studied, and some in vitro and even in vivo studies have shown obvious anti-viral properties. Apigenin antiviral has a broad future prospect in treatment and application of virus infection.

Ⅱ. Applications of apigenin antiviral against influenza virus

Apigenin is applied in preparation of anti-influenza agents, including its application in preparing treatment or preventing flu virus. Test of apigenin at concertation of 100μm, 80μm and 40μm preprocessing human pulmonary epithelial cells (A549) to prevent virus infection, and test of apigenin treating and protecting A549 cells after infected by virus, and the results show that apigenin antiviral can greatly reduce cell inflammation level and virus replication level, and reveals that apigenin plays anti-viral function by retinoic acid sample (RIG-1) signal path. Compared with traditional anti-viral agent amantadine hydrochloride, apigenin antiviral lets apigenin with no resistance, safe and non-toxic, as well as good healing, therefore, apigenin antiviral has function of restraining flu virus. Cell toxicity test shows that apigenin of used concentration has no toxic and side effect on A549 cells, and can be therapeutic agent and preventive against flu virus.

Apigenin has antiviral activity within cells, and apigenin antiviral has direct kill-virus activity of FMDV. Besides, put 105 PFU FMDV grain and apigenin of certain concentration under 37℃ to incubate for 2 hours. BHK-21 cells are infected by virus suspension, which in triplicate shall be diluted by 1000 times, to confirm apigenin can directly kill FMDV activity outside cells; and confirm apigenin's therapeutic action on FMDV infection.