Antiviral Effect of Ephedrine Alkaloids-Free Ephedra Herb Extract against SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro

Masashi Uema; Masashi Hyuga; Kenzo Yonemitsu; Sumiko Hyuga; Yoshiaki Amakura; Nahoko Uchiyama; Kazushige Mizoguchi; Hiroshi Odaguchi; Yukihiro Goda

Antiviral Effect of Ephedrine Alkaloids-Free Ephedra Herb Extract against SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro

2023

We report for the first time that ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb extract (EFE) directly inhibits the replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in vitro and that the addition of EFE to the culture medium before viral infection reduces virus titers in the culture supernatant of SARS-CoV-2, including those of variant strains, by more than 99%, 24 h after infection. The addition of Ephedra Herb macromolecule condensed-tannin, which is the main active ingredient responsible for the anticancer, pain suppression, and anti-influenza effects of EFE, similarly suppressed virus production in the culture supernatant by 99% before infection and by more than 90% after infection. Since EFE does not have the side effects caused by ephedrine alkaloids, such as hypertension, palpitations, and insomnia, our results showed the potential of EFE as a safe therapeutic agent against coronavirus disease 2019.

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