Glycyrrhizin, an active component of liquorice roots, and replication of SARS-associated coronavirus

Abstract

The outbreak of SARS warrants the search for antiviral compounds to treat the disease. At present, no specific treatment has been identified for SARS-associated coronavirus infection. We assessed the antiviral potential of ribavirin, 6-azauridine, pyrazofurin, mycophenolic acid, and glycyrrhizin against two clinical isolates of coronavirus (FFM-1 and FFM-2) from patients with SARS admitted to the clinical centre of Frankfurt University, Germany. Of all the compounds, glycyrrhizin was the most active in inhibiting replication of the SARS-associated virus. Our findings suggest that glycyrrhizin should be assessed for treatment of SARS.

Figure

Effect of glycyrrhizin on replication of SARS-associated coronavirus in Vero cells Cells were fixed with 60 parts methanol to 40 parts acetone 72 h after infection. Virus was detected in serum from the patient with SARS by peroxidase staining. (A) mock infected cells. (B) infected cells without treatment. (C) infected cells treated with 4000 mg/L glycyrrhizin. (D) infected cells treated with 1000 mg/L glycyrrhizin.