Antipyretic activity of gingyo-san, a traditional medicine, in influenza virus-infected mice.

Abstract

Gingyo-san is composed of 10 crude drugs and used as a traditional antipyretic medicine for the treatment of the common cold and influenza virus infection. In a murine intranasal influenza infection model, fever produced by the infection has been demonstrated to be reduced by suppressing interferon-induced interleukin (IL)-1 alpha production. Thus, we focused on the serum level of IL-1 alpha which produces such novel antipyretic activity, and evaluated the relationship between defervescence and the suppression of IL-1 alpha production by Gingyo-san in influenza virus-infected mice. Fever was produced in the infected mice 33-44 h after infection. Oral administration of a hot water-extract of Gingyo-san (8.9-12.5 mg/0.25 ml/mouse x 3 per day) significantly reduced fever production and suppressed the rise in IL-1 alpha production to the level in uninfected mice. No apparent toxicity by Gingyo-san was observed in infected mice. When the hot water-extract of each 10 of the crude components of Gingyo-san (an unknown amount extracted from 6.25 mg/0.25 ml/mouse x 3 per day for Saigae Tataricae Cornu and 3.5 mg/0.25 ml/mouse x 3 per day for the other 9) was orally administered to infected mice, 6 showed significant antipyretic activity. Of these 6, Saigae Tatricae Cornu significantly suppressed the rise in IL-1 alpha production to the basal level while the other 5 did not affect serum IL-1 alpha. Thus, of the 10 crude components of Gingyo-san, Saigae Tataricae Cornu simultaneously exhibited antipyretic and IL-1 alpha-regulatory activities. The novel antipyretic action of Gingyo-san may be mainly mediated by Saigae Tataricae Cornu which regulates the elevated serum IL-1 alpha level produced by influenza infection.

• Authors: M Kurokawa, J Yamamura, Z Li, H Sato, N Hitomi, Y Tatsumi, K Shiraki
• Journal: Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin (Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo)) Vol. 46 Issue 9 Pg. 1444-7 (Sep 1998) ISSN: 0009-2363 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 9775439 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
• Antiviral Agents
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Interleukin-1
• Plant Extracts
• gingyo-san

Topics

• Analgesics, Non-Narcotic (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Animals
• Antiviral Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• China
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Fever (drug therapy)
• Interleukin-1 (metabolism)
• Japan
• Medicine, Traditional
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred DBA
• Orthomyxoviridae (drug effects)
• Orthomyxoviridae Infections (drug therapy)
• Plant Extracts (therapeutic use)
• Plants, Medicinal