Combining Oxymatrine or Matrine with Lamivudine Increased Its Antireplication Effect against the Hepatitis B VirusIn Vitro

Abstract

Some recent clinical reports have shown that the combination of oxymatrine, a phyto-derived drug, with lamivudine (3TC) could improve its curative effect against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, the experimental data in support of this combination strategy are lacking. In this study, we investigated the anti-HBV activity of the combination of 3TC and either oxymatrine or matrine on HepG2 2.2.15 in vitro. The activities of the combination and the solo compound, each in different concentrations, were compared on the 3rd, 6th, and 9th experimental days. The cytotoxicity results showed that the nontoxic concentrations of both oxymatrine and matrine to HepG2 2.2.15 cells were 800 μg/mL. We found that the single use of oxymatrine below 100 μg/ml, matrine below 200 μg/ml, and 3TC below 30 μg/ml showed weak inhibitory effects on the secretion of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and HBV-DNA in culture media; the combination of 3TC (30 μg/ml) with oxymatrine (100 μg/ml) or matrine (100 μg/ml) showed significant inhibitory effects that were higher than or equivalent to the single use of 3TC at 100 μg/ml. The results provide a new impetus to develop novel, multicomponent anti-HBV drugs through the combination of natural products with nucleoside analogs to enhance their activity.

Potential Signaling Pathways Involved in the Clinical Application of Oxymatrine

“…The molecular skeleton of OM determines its particular chemical structure, which is a hydrophilic monomer compound. Oxymatrine has exhibited various pharmacological effects such as antiviral (Ma et al , ), antifibrosis (Jian et al , ), antiarrhythmia (Cao et al , ), antiinflammation (Wen et al , ), antianaphylaxis (Peng et al , ), and other immune‐regulating effects (Fan et al , ), leading to its clinical use in the treatment of viral hepatitis (Ma et al , ).…”

Matrine suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in human cholangiocarcinoma cells through suppression of JAK2/STAT3 signaling

“…It possesses many pharmacological and biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory [9], antiviral [10], and anticancer [11] activities. Matrine has been shown to induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells [12,13].…”

Efficacy of oxymatrine for treatment and relapse suppression of severe plaque psoriasis: results from a single-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial

“…Oxymatrine is an alkaloid extracted from Sophora alopecuroides radix , a medicinal herb that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years and is widely used in modern pharmaceuticals in China. Oxymatrine can have a variety of biological effects, including anti‐inflammatory, immunoregulatory and antiviral responses . Oxymatrine by intravenous drip or oral use in humans has been approved in China for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and leucopenia associated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy (approved number H20010756; H2000107).…”

“…Oxymatrine can have a variety of biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, 7 immunoregulatory 8 and antiviral responses. 9 Oxymatrine by intravenous drip or oral use in humans has been approved in China for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and leucopenia associated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy (approved number H20010756; H2000107). Oxymatrine has little hepatotoxicity compared with acitretin, which has been associated with clinically apparent liver injury.…”