Chaihu Guizhi Decoction Found to Have Therapeutic Effect on Influenza A Virus Subtype H1N1 and Staphylococcus aureus Co-infection

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine have conducted a study to investigate the effect of Chaihu Guizhi Decoction (CGD) on influenza A virus subtype H1N1 and Staphylococcus aureus co-infection in mice. The results showed that CGD exerted a therapeutic effect on the co-infection, alleviating clinical manifestations, reducing bacterial load and viral replication, and mitigating inflammatory pathological damage.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study aimed to investigate the intervention effect and underlying mechanism of CGD in influenza and S. aureus co-infection.
  • Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 8 groups, with mice receiving a nasal injection of influenza virus suspension and S. aureus suspension to establish an influenza virus and S. aureus co-infection model.
  • CGD alleviated clinical manifestations, including improving body weight, spontaneous activity, and food consumption in mice.
  • It increased the thymus index while decreasing the spleen and lung indexes.
  • CGD reduced the bacterial load and influenza virus M gene expression in lung tissues, and mitigated inflammatory pathological damage.
  • The study concluded that CGD protects mice against influenza and S. aureus co-infection by suppressing viral replication, mitigating the inflammatory cytokine storm, and restoring Th17/Treg immune balance.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
  • The study included additional authors, including Yuxiu Han, Jia Yang, Qihui Sun, Xiaoyun Liu, Dongxue Ye, Yong Yang, and Rong Rong, in addition to X. U. Wang.

Statistics:

  • 20 mL fluoride virus suspension was used for nasal injection.
  • S. aureus suspension with 2.5 x 10 CFU was administered to establish co-infection model.
  • Relative expression level of influenza virus M gene was quantified by RT-qPCR.
  • Bacterial load was determined using the smear-plate method.
  • Lung histopathological changes were evaluated via hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining.
  • Flow cytometry was employed to analyze Th17 and Treg lymphocytes, as well as 13 inflammatory cytokines.

Sources:

  • Wang, X. U., et al. (2025). Chaihu Guizhi decoction alleviates H1N1 influenza virus and Staphylococcus aureus co-infection in mice by reducing inflammatory cytokines and regulating Th17/Treg balance. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 120711.
  • Elsevier Ireland Ltd. (Publisher of Journal of Ethnopharmacology).