[Antiviral effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on influenza A virus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) against the influenza A virus in vitro and in vivo. METHOD: The cell culture technique was used in MDCK cells to get cell viability at different concentration of EGCG by MTT assay. Cytopathic effect (CPE) and MTT were applied to observe the protective function of EGCG and it's ingredients were administered to cells in three different ways (method I: administration before infection, method II: administration upon infection, and method II: administration after infection) to treat the infectious model in vitro. The anti-viral activity in vivo was performed on BALB/c mice, which were divided to receive EGCG. The mean survival days and the pulmonary pathological lesions of the infected mice were observed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of EGCG. RESULT: EGCG effectively inhibited influenza A virus in vitro. The death rate and pulmonary pathological lesions were decreased, and the mean survival days were prolonged by oral administration of EGCG in the mice infected by influenza A virus. CONCLUSION: EGCG has a strong effect against influenza A H1 N1 virus in vitro and in vivo, in a dose-dependent manner.