Antiviral Efficacy of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Mixture Yuanzhixingrenheji Against Human Adenovirus-7 In Vitro, In Vivo, and in a Clinical Retrospective Study

  • Pathogens. 2026 Apr 24;15(5):463. doi: 10.3390/pathogens15050463.
Qiuchi Lv  1  2 ,  Lexi Li  1  2 ,  Ruifei Wang  1  2 ,  Shuaibing Han  1  2 ,  Hongwei Zhao  1  2 ,  Zhengde Xie  1  2 ,  Qiang He  3 ,  Chang Liu  3 ,  Lili Xu  1  2
Affiliations
  • 1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Core Technologies for the Prevention and Treatment of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Children, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), Beijing Research Center for Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China.
  • 2. Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU016, Beijing 100045, China.
  • 3. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China.
PMID: 42198590 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens15050463
Abstract

Human adenovirus type 7 (HAdV-7) is a significant pathogen responsible for viral community-acquired pneumonia in children. To date, no specific Antiviral agents have been approved for clinical use against HAdV infections. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) mixtures have shown promising potential in managing viral pneumonia. This study aimed to evaluate the Antiviral activity of Yuanzhixingrenheji (YZ), a hospital-prepared TCM formulation from Beijing Children's Hospital, against HAdV-7. Initial screening of four hospital formulations (Feiyanheji, Qingjieheji, Yindaizhikeheji, and Yuanzhixingrenheji) using a CCK-8 assay revealed that YZ exhibited the lowest cytotoxicity. In vitro, YZ pretreatment and post-infection treatment exhibited dose-dependent Antiviral activity against HAdV-7 in A549 cells, significantly suppressing the DBP mRNA level and protein expression while reducing viral genome copies, HAdV-7-GFP fluorescence, hexon fluorescence, and DBP nuclear localization. In the hDSG2+/+ C57BL/6 mouse model of HAdV-7 Infection, YZ effectively mitigated infection-induced body weight loss and substantially reduced viral loads in lung tissue. Furthermore, a clinical retrospective analysis indicated that YZ treatment significantly decreased post-hospitalization serum C-reactive protein levels of pediatric patients with HAdV Infection in various disease severities. Compared with conventional treatment, YZ treatment also significantly reduced peak temperature and shortened the duration of fever in children with HAdV Infection, supporting its therapeutic potential. In summary, this study provides the first integrated evidence from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical retrospective investigations, demonstrating that the TCM mixture YZ has significant anti-HAdV-7 activity and clinical efficacy. Characterized by a favorable safety profile and low economic burden, YZ is a promising candidate for the treatment of pediatric adenovirus pneumonia.

Keywords
antiviral medicine; human adenovirus; traditional Chinese medicine.
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