Chien-Min Yang

EUPHORBIA THYMIFOLIA SUPPRESSES HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-2 INFECTION BY DIRECTLY INACTIVATING VIRUS INFECTIVITY

1. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract and 3‐O‐galloyl‐4,6‐(S)‐hexahydroxydiphenoyl‐d‐glucose (3OG46HG) of Euphorbia thymifolia Linnea have been shown to exhibit anti‐herpes simplex virus (HSV)‐2 activity in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the mode of action of these two compounds in suppressing HSV‐2 multiplication.

Prescriptions of Long Dan Xie Gan Tang, Yin Chen Hao Tang and WTTC Inhibit the Formation of Superoxide Radical and Scavenge Superoxide Radical in Vitro

Free radicals are reactive molecules that occur normally in organisms. However the excess generation of free radical can cause tissues and cells to be damaged, and might result in several diseases. In this study, the anti-superoxide radical formation and the superoxide radical scavenging activities of the water extract of prescriptions, Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (LDXGT), Yin Chen Hao Tang (YCHT) and WTTC, were evaluated by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system and the cytochrome C reduction method, respectively. Results demonstrated that the water extract of the prescriptions suppressed superoxide anion formation and scavenged the radical in a dose-dependent manner. The potency on inhibiting the generation of superoxide radical was in the order of WTTC water extract (IC50=4.02±0.49 mg/ml)＞YCHT water extract (IC50=5.86±0.38 mg/ml)＞LDXGT water extract (IC50=6.52±0.38 mg/ml). The strength of superoxide radical scavenging activity was in the order of WTTC water extract (IC50=0.04±0.004 mg/ml)＞YCHT water extract (IC50=0.11±0.02 mg/ml)＞LDXGT water extract (IC50=0.55±0.18 mg/ml). In summary, the water extract of prescription LDXGT, YCHT and WTTC exhibit anti-superoxide radical activity in different magnitudes of potency in vitro.