Research at IMP, CAS shows that Hypericin complex can resist influenza A virus and its related products as current control work have been popularized. Prof. Jian-Ping Liang, who is the selected candidate of " Hundred Talent Program of CAS ", instructed Dr. Xiu-Ying Pu for two years to carry out in vitro test for the impact of Hypericin complexes on influenza A virus (H1N1 subtype) and its in vivo test (A/PR/8/1934) in animals. Strains of influenza virus in two experiments were from Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention respectively, meanwhile Hypericin was provided by our research laboratory.
Dr. Xiu-Ying Pu said, the effect of Hypericin complex on influenza A virus in vitro experiment shows that Hypericin complex at the maximum non-toxic range can significantly prevent influenza A virus from infecting dog kidney cells (MDCK)-induced lesion, with effect in enhancement as the increase in drug concentration. A concentration was in the range of 7.8-125 μg/mL that apparently can resist to the effect of influenza A virus on MDCK cells. Meanwhile there was no difference with drug control group (Tamiflu). Hypericin complex can inhibit proliferation of influenza A virus in cell to perform anti-viral effect.
Protective effect of Hypericin complex on influenza A virus infection to lead mouse dead (in vivo test) was studied and results indicated that Hypericin complex drug treatment provided to mouse infected by influenza virus can significantly reduce pathological changes of interstitial pneumonia in mouse infected and improve general situation of influenza virus, mortality in reduction and survival time in enhancement.
Prof. Jian-Ping Liang believed that, despite there were a large number of research works to be done to realize clinical trial, the results of two studies based on experiments have shown that Hypericin complex has a good effect of suppression and killing to influenza virus.
Prof. Jian-Ping Liang, the leader for sub-topic “The Development and Application of New Anti-bacterial, Anti-virus Veterinary Drugs” in national "Tenth Five-Year" scientific plan and the national “Tenth Five-Year” key issues “Researchon Biological Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza” Project, led the team of Lanzhou Institute of Animal and Veterinary Pharmaceutics Sciences to carry out the preparation and drug test for new agent Hypericin complex since 2000. Important breakthrough of avian flu prevention has been made in China. In the bird flu prevention and control process of Qinghai Province of China and Vietnam, Hypericin complex was used for wildfowl and poultry. In order to prevent human from infection with avian influenza, some researchers and front-line personnel had untaken Hypericin, a good prevention effect was obtained in practice.
As a result of remarkable effect of new agent Hypericin complex, some countries frequently suffered from bird flu such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand in recent years, have ordered Hypericin complex from Research Group through various channels, and many domestic large poultry farms ordered the complex too. Hypericin complex has played an important role in prevention and treatment for Avian influenza.
Prof. Jian-Ping Liang said that the number of anti-viral drugs is limited at present, Hypericin complex has more excellent anti-viral effect than counterparts and the medicinal value in aspects of avian flu prevention has been verified. Due to the highly variant of influenza viruses, bacterin that was widely used failed to prevent infectious diseases. Fortunately, this situation provided an opportunity to develop anti-virus medicine such as Hypericin complex. Since 2007, researchers using the subsidy funds of "Hundred Talents Program" of CAS have carried out prevention influenza under Hypericin for human and influenza virus H1N1 was chosen exactly to be the aim.
For some drawbacks, namely basic research of new drug, preclinical research, clinical research, reporting and approval, an effective task should be completed in order to early realize antiviral activity of Hypericin in prevention and treatment of influenza. On May 2008, after reporting to Gansu Food and Drug Administration, Institute of Modern Physics, CAS and Gansu Xinlongyue PharmaceuticalCo.,Ltd initiated co-operation to produce free-fried piece of Hypericum perforatum (mainly constituent: Hypericin, license number: Gan Y20030045). The products have been applied in Gansu region of China, and excellent effects in treatment of human influenza were obtained.
