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Planta Med 2014; 80(02/03): 171-176
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1360172
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Inhibition of Hepatitis C Virus Replication In Vitro by Xanthohumol, A Natural Product Present in Hops

Sai Lou
1   Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Xi’ an, Shaanxi, China
,
Yi-Min Zheng
2   Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
,
Shan-Lu Liu
2   Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
,
Jianming Qiu
3   Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
,
Qunying Han
1   Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Xi’ an, Shaanxi, China
,
Na Li
1   Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Xi’ an, Shaanxi, China
,
Qianqian Zhu
1   Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Xi’ an, Shaanxi, China
,
Pingping Zhang
1   Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Xi’ an, Shaanxi, China
,
Cuiling Yang
1   Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Xi’ an, Shaanxi, China
,
Zhengwen Liu
1   Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiʼan Jiaotong University, Xi’ an, Shaanxi, China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 26 May 2013
revised 20 November 2013

accepted 23 November 2013

Publication Date:
19 December 2013 (online)

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Abstract

Hepatitis C virus is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Xanthohumol, a prenylated flavonoid from hops, has various biological activities including an antiviral effect. It was previously characterized as a compound that inhibits bovine viral diarrhea virus, a surrogate model of hepatitis C virus. In the present work, xanthohumol was examined for its ability to inhibit hepatitis C virus replication in a cell culture system carrying replicating hepatitis C virus RNA replicon. 0.2 % DMSO and 500 units/mL interferon-alpha treatments were set as a negative and positive control, respectively. The inhibitory effect by xanthohumol was determined by the luciferase activity of the infected Huh7.5 cell lysates and the hepatitis C virus RNA levels in the culture. Xanthohumol at 3.53 µM significantly decreased the luciferase activity compared to the negative control (p < 0.01). Xanthohumol at 7.05 µM further decreased the luciferase activity compared to xanthohumol at 3.53 µM (p = 0.015). Xanthohumol at 7.05 µM or 14.11 µM achieved an inhibitory effect similar to that of interferon-alpha 2b (p > 0.05). Xanthohumol at 3.53 µM significantly reduced the hepatitis C virus RNA level compared to the negative control (p = 0.001). Although the results of xanthohumol at 7.05 µM had a higher variation, xanthohumol at the 7.05 µM and 14.11 µM decreased the hepatitis C virus RNA level to that achieved by interferon-alpha (p > 0.05). In conclusion, xanthohumol displays anti-hepatitis C virus activity in a cell culture system and may be potentially used as an alternative or complementary treatment against the hepatitis C virus.

Key words

hepatitis C virus - xanthohumol - Humulus lupulus - Cannabaceae - HCV cell culture
 

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