In vivo antiviral activity of Stephania cepharantha against herpes simplex virus type-1.

The antiviral activity of a MeOH extract of Stephania cepharantha (root tubers), its CHCl3-soluble fraction (alkaloid fraction) and the major alkaloid FK-3000 (1) were investigated in BALB/c mice cutaneously infected with HSV-1 strain 7401H. At doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg body weight, p.o., the MeOH extract significantly delayed skin lesion on score 2 (vesicles in the local region), limited the development of further lesions on score 6 (mild zosteriform lesion) and prolonged the mean survival time of HSV-1 infected mice. After p.o. administration of the CHCl3-soluble fraction at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg or FK-3000 (1) at 10 and 25 mg/kg, similar results were obtained. Although the alkaloid improved the survival of infected mice, it had a narrow therapeutic index. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.