Shayan Ahmed, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
Influenza is a serious respiratory infection that causes a significant amount of morbidity and mortality. Annually, it is estimated that 290,000–650,000 people die from influenza. There are currently two kinds of anti-influenza virus therapeutic options: M2 channel blockers and neuraminidase inhibitors. However, the clinical utility of these medicines is limited due to growing virus resistance, cumulative neurotoxicity, and time-dependent efficacy. As a result, better and more advanced anti-influenza medications are urgently required.
Plant-based drugs against Influenza Infection
Plant extracts and derivatives have been shown to have antiviral properties in recent years. Plants are accountable for more than 40% of contemporary medications. Several plant-derived small molecules have been found to have anti-influenza virus action. In vitro, catechins in green tea, for example, have a substantial inhibitory impact on both influenza A and B viruses. Moreover, in vitro tests have revealed that the major active components isolated from dendrobium orchids have an action against H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses.
Garlic exhibits a variety of biological properties, including anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Garlic extracts can decrease influenza virus multiplication and alter immunological as well as inflammatory responses. An active component in garlic has been demonstrated to decrease inflammatory and oxidative stress responses in dengue virus infection. Garlic’s major active ingredients are organosulfur compounds. Diallyl trisulfide (DATS) is one among them, and it’s a lot easier to make and keep stable than the others.
Treating H9N2 Influenza with Diallyl Trisulfide
In 1994, the H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) was discovered in chickens in Guangdong Province, China. It has spread rapidly throughout China, causing significant economic losses to the chicken sector. H9N2 AIV has been proven to infect people and contribute internal genes to influenza viruses that infect humans, including H7N9, H5N1, H5N6, and H10N8. As a result, H9N2 AIV has the potential to create a pandemic. In a recent study, researchers tested DATS’ anti-viral activity in vitro and in vivo to see if it can boost innate immunity against H9N2 AIV infection.
Results & Observations
DATS was reported to inhibit viral loads in the lungs and the severity of pulmonary edema in a mouse model. DATS’s anti-influenza virus activity is comparable to that of fresh garlic extract. Overexpression of cytokines has been demonstrated to be a characteristic of severe influenza virus infection. Several studies have found a link between the severity and mortality of influenza A virus infections and the severe inflammation in the lungs caused by IL-6 and TNF-α. H9N2 viruses have been shown to increase the production of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, potentially increasing their pathogenicity to humans.
Garlic has been found to be beneficial against a variety of illnesses, owing to its anti-inflammatory properties, and DATS has been shown to have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties in a variety of cancers. In vitro and in vivo, DATS therapy reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 produced by H9N2 AIV infection. In vivo tests revealed that treating infected mice with DATS decreased weight loss, lung damage, pulmonary inflammation, and edema. According to pathological tests, DATS reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells such as polymorphonuclear neutrophils and macrophages, which are major producers of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
These findings imply that DATS has the potential to be used as an alternate treatment for respiratory viral infections.
Also read: Ultra-processed foods: Safe or dangerous to consume?
Reference:
Ming, L., Li, Z., Li, X., Tang, L., & He, G. (2021). Antiviral activity of diallyl trisulfide against H9N2 avian influenza virus infection in vitro and in vivo. Virology journal, 18(1), 171. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-021-01641-w
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Author info:
Shayan Ahmed is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Microbiology from the Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. His area of research interest lies in antibiotic resistance and associated molecular mechanisms. His recent work was focused on understanding colistin resistance patterns in the environment, particularly in water bodies.
Other Publications by the Author:
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