Immunomodulatory Activity of Red Ginseng against Influenza A Virus Infection |
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Authors: | Jong Seok Lee Hye Suk Hwang Eun-Ju Ko Yu-Na Lee Young-Man Kwon Min-Chul Kim Sang-Moo Kang |
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Institution: | 1.Center for Inflammatory, Immunity & Infection, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA; E-Mails: (J.S.L.); (H.S.H.); (E.-J.K.); (Y.-N.L.); (Y.-M.K.); (M.-C.K.);2.Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Anyang City, Gyeonggi-do 430-757, Korea |
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Abstract: | Ginseng herbal medicine has been known to have beneficial effects on improving human health. We investigated whether red ginseng extract (RGE) has preventive effects on influenza A virus infection in vivo and in vitro. RGE was found to improve survival of human lung epithelial cells upon influenza virus infection. Also, RGE treatment reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes (IL-6, IL-8) probably in part through interference with the formation of reactive oxygen species by influenza A virus infection. Long-term oral administration of mice with RGE showed multiple immunomodulatory effects such as stimulating antiviral cytokine IFN-γ production after influenza A virus infection. In addition, RGE administration in mice inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the bronchial lumens. Therefore, RGE might have the potential beneficial effects on preventing influenza A virus infections via its multiple immunomodulatory functions. |
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Keywords: | Panax ginseng influenza A virus epithelial cells oxidative stress interferon |
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