Ethnopharmacological relevance: Sheng-Ma-Ge-Gen-Tang (SMGGT), a popular prescription of Chinese traditional medicine, has been used to manage measles infection of children for thousands of years. There are evidences to presume a wider spectrum of antiviral activity of SMGGT. However, SMGGT has not been proven to have activity against EV71 infection.
Aim of the study: We tested the hypothesis that SMGGT could inhibit cytotoxic effect of EV71.
Materials and methods: Human foreskin fibroblast cell line was used for viral culture. Cytotoxicity was examined by XTT assay.
Results: SMGGT could inhibit cytopathy induced by EV71 when given before (p<0.0001), in association with (p<0.0001), or after viral infection (p<0.0001). SMGGT was effective (IC(50): 0.21 microg/ml) and safe (SI: more than 24,000). SMGGT could inhibit viral attachment (p<0.0001) and penetration (p<0.0001). EV71 infection could induce cellular interferon production (p<0.0001). However, SMGGT affected neither the virus-induced (p=0.9913), nor the constitutional interferon production (p>0.05). Therefore, SMGGT had direct anti-viral activity not mediated by interferon.
Conclusions: SMGGT was effective on management of the disease induced by EV71 infection.