Traditional Chinese medicine and related active compounds: A review of their role on hepatitis B virus infection

Abstract

Since the significant public health hazard of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and obvious drug resistance and dose-dependent side effects for common antiviral agents (e.g., interferon α, lamivudine, and adefovir), continuous development of agents to treat HBV infection is urgently needed. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an established segment of the health care system in China. Currently, it is widely used for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in China and many parts of the world. Over a long period of time in clinical practice and in basic research progress, the effectiveness and beneficial contribution of TCM on CHB have been gradually known and confirmed. Based upon our review of related papers and because of our prior knowledge and experience, we have selected some Chinese medicines, including Chinese herbal formulas (e.g., Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang, Xiao-Yao-San, and Long-Dan-Xie-Gan-Tang), single herbs (e.g., Phyllanthus niruri, Radix astragali, Polygonum cuspidatum, Rheum palmatum, and Salvia miltiorrhiza) and related active compounds (e.g., wogonin, artesunate, saikosaponin, astragaloside IV, and chrysophanol 8-O-beta-Dglucoside) and Chinese medicine preparations (e.g., silymarin, silibinin, kushenin, and cinobufacini), which seem effective and worthy of additional and indepth study in treating CHB, and we have given them a brief review. We conclude that these Chinese herbal medicines exhibit significant anti-HBV activities with improved liver function, and enhanced HBeAg and HBsAg sero-conversion rates as well as HBV DNA clearance rates in HepG2 2.2.15 cells, DHBV models, or patients with CHB. We hope this review will contribute to an understanding of TCM and related active compounds as an effective treatment for CHB and provide useful information for the development of more effective antiviral drugs.

Wogonin inhibits Varicella-Zoster (shingles) virus replication via modulation of type I interferon signaling and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activity

“…Wogonin (5,) is a flavonoid compound extracted from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis. Wogonin has been shown to have suppressant effects on the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) (Blach-Olszewska et al, 2008), hepatitis B virus (HBV) (Guo et al, 2007;Huang et al, 2000;Qi et al, 2013), and human papilloma virus (HPV) (Kim et al, 2013). Currently, limited number of studies suggests the antiviral effects of plant-derived compounds against Varicellazoster virus (VZV) infection.…”

The anti‐hepatitis B virus therapeutic potential of anthraquinones derived from Aloe vera

“…Notably, despite high efficacies, most of the HBVpol inhibitors, such as lamivudine, adepovir, entecavir, and so forth lead to the emergence of drug‐resistance and failure to chemotherapy (Teo & Locarnini, ). In the recent decade, traditional and indigenous herbal medicines or plant metabolites have gained much attention for their remarkable anti‐HBV effects (Arbab, Parvez, Al‐Dosari, et al, ; Arbab, Parvez, Al‐Dosari, & Al‐Rehaily, ; Chen & Zhu, ; Parvez et al, ; Parvez, Arab, Al‐Dosari, & Al‐Rehaily, ; Qi et al, ; Wang, Zhang, & Bonkovsky, ; Wu, ; Yang et al, ; Zhang et al, ).…”

Effects of different nitrogen fertilizer levels on growth and active compounds of rhubarb from Qinghai plateau

“…ex Balf, commonly known as ‘rhubarb’, has long been widely used in traditional Chinese herb, and also as Chinese dishes, and rhubarb has been officially listed in the pharmacopoeias of China, Japan, and Europe . A series of studies has shown that rhubarb can be used to treat ischemic stroke, and has anti‐inflammatory, anti‐cancer and anti‐hepatitis B virus (HBV) effects, among others. The main compounds in rhubarb include rhein, emodin, aloe‐emodin, physcion, chrysophanol, sennoside A, sennoside B, gallic acid, and catechin .…”