Anti-rotavirus effects by combination therapy of stevioside and Sophora flavescens extract

• Published in: Research in veterinary science 2014-06, Vol.96 (3), p.567-575
• Main Authors: Alfajaro, Mia Madel, Rho, Mun-Chual, Kim, Hyun-Jeong, Park, Jun-Gyu, Kim, Deok-Song, Hosmillo, Myra, Son, Kyu-Yeol, Lee, Ju-Hwan, Park, Sang-Ik, Kang, Mun-Il, Ryu, Young Bae, Park, Ki Hun, Oh, Hyun-Mee, Lee, Seung Woong, Park, Su-Jin, Lee, Woo Song, Cho, Kyoung-Oh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Combination therapy; Diarrhea - drug therapy; Diarrhea - veterinary; Diarrhea - virology; Diterpenes, Kaurane - pharmacology; Diterpenes, Kaurane - therapeutic use; Drug Therapy, Combination; Enteritis; Feces - virology; Female; Glucosides - pharmacology; Glucosides - therapeutic use; Histocytochemistry - veterinary; Intestine, Small - virology; Male; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Porcine rotavirus; Random Allocation; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; RNA, Viral - chemistry; RNA, Viral - genetics; Rotavirus; Rotavirus - genetics; Rotavirus - growth & development; Rotavirus Infections - drug therapy; Rotavirus Infections - veterinary; Rotavirus Infections - virology; Sophora; Sophora - metabolism; Sophora flavescens extract; Stevioside; Swine; Swine Diseases - drug therapy; Swine Diseases - virology; Synergistic effect
• ISSN: 0034-5288; 1532-2661
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2014.03.011

Anti-rotaviral activities of Sophora flavescens extract (SFE) and stevioside (SV) from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni either singly or in various combinations were examined in vitro and in vivo using a porcine rotavirus G5[P7] strain. Combination of SFE and SV inhibited in vitro virus replication more efficiently than each single treatment. In the piglet model, SV had no effect on rotavirus enteritis, whereas SFE improved but did not completely cure rotaviral enteritis. Interestingly, combination therapy of SFE and SV alleviated diarrhea, and markedly improved small intestinal lesion score and fecal virus shedding. Acute toxicity tests including the piglet lethal dose 50, and body weight, organ weight and pathological changes for the combination therapy did not show any adverse effect on the piglets. These preliminary data suggest that the combination therapy of SV and SFE is a potential curative medication for rotaviral diarrhea in pigs. Determination of the efficacy of this combination therapy in other species including humans needs to be addressed in the future.