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Keywords = ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb extract

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13 pages, 482 KiB  
Article
The Antiviral Effect of Ephedrine Alkaloids-Free Ephedra Herb Extract, EFE, on Murine Coronavirus Growth in the Lung and Liver of Infected Mice
by Akinori Nishi, Sumiko Hyuga, Masashi Hyuga, Masashi Uema, Nahoko Uchiyama, Hiroshi Odaguchi and Yukihiro Goda
Microorganisms 2025, 13(4), 830; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13040830 - 6 Apr 2025
Viewed by 305
Abstract
Ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb extract (EFE) was developed to reduce the adverse effects of Ephedra Herb, a constituent drug in Kampo medicines. It is produced by decocting Ephedra Herb with hot water and excluding the ephedrine alkaloids. EFE has analgesic and anti-cancer effects [...] Read more.
Ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb extract (EFE) was developed to reduce the adverse effects of Ephedra Herb, a constituent drug in Kampo medicines. It is produced by decocting Ephedra Herb with hot water and excluding the ephedrine alkaloids. EFE has analgesic and anti-cancer effects and inhibits respiratory viruses in vitro. To assess the pharmacological action of EFE in vivo, we evaluated its effect on the replication of murine hepatitis virus (MHV), a coronavirus that causes hepatitis, pneumonia, and severe acute respiratory syndrome-like symptoms, within infected mice. On Day 0, MHV was inoculated intranasally into female BALB/C mice, and EFE was orally administered once/day at 350–700 mg/kg (n = 10/group) starting 1 h after inoculation until Day 5. Through a plaque assay, MHV was detected on Day 5 in the lung and liver in all inoculated mice, but the titer was significantly lower in the EFE groups as compared with untreated control mice. Although not statistically significant, the clinical score for respiratory irregularity tended to be lower in the EFE treatment groups. In conclusion, EFE inhibits MHV replication in an in vivo mouse model of human coronavirus infection and exerts pharmacological action in the lung and liver. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Epidemiology, Diagnostics and Management of Respiratory Virus Infections (2nd Edition))
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15 pages, 883 KiB  
Article
Safety and Efficacy of Ephedrine Alkaloids-Free Ephedra Herb Extract (EFE) for Mild COVID-19: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Comparative Trial
by Hiroshi Odaguchi, Sumiko Hyuga, Mariko Sekine, Hirofumi Michimae, Masashi Hyuga, Nahoko Uchiyama, Masashi Uema, Yuji Kumagai, Yusuke Suzuki, Shigeki Nabeshima, Norio Omagari, Yohei Doi, Kunihiro Yamaoka, Koji Miyazaki, Susumu Fuji, Yoshihiro Umezawa, Shiho Kodera, Hirotaka Nagashima, Wataru Hirose and Yukihiro Goda
Microorganisms 2025, 13(3), 641; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13030641 - 12 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 674
Abstract
Several Ephedra Herb-containing Kampo medicines are common initial treatments for various infections; however, the ephedrine alkaloids in Ephedra Herb can cause side effects by stimulating adrenergic receptors. Accordingly, an ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb Extract (EFE) has been developed. This study aimed to evaluate [...] Read more.
Several Ephedra Herb-containing Kampo medicines are common initial treatments for various infections; however, the ephedrine alkaloids in Ephedra Herb can cause side effects by stimulating adrenergic receptors. Accordingly, an ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb Extract (EFE) has been developed. This study aimed to evaluate whether EFE can be used effectively and safely in patients with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We randomized patients with mild COVID-19 to receive EFE equivalent to 6 g of Ephedra Herb per day or a placebo for 14 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was the non-aggravation rate up to Day 15. We allocated 41 and 40 patients to the EFE and placebo groups, respectively. All participants were included in the mITT and safety analysis populations [male ratio, mean age: 31.7%, 42.0 years (EFE); 17.5%, 43.2 years (placebo)]. The non-aggravation rate up to Day 15 for the primary endpoint was 100.0% and 94.6% in the EFE and placebo group, respectively, with no between-group difference. The number of days to the improvement in nausea symptoms was significantly shorter in the EFE group. One patient in the placebo group discontinued the trial due to a side effect. Although EFE demonstrated safety in patients with mild COVID-19, it did not show superior efficacy compared to placebo for symptoms other than nausea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Virology)
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10 pages, 793 KiB  
Communication
Antiviral Effect of Ephedrine Alkaloids-Free Ephedra Herb Extract against SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro
by Masashi Uema, Masashi Hyuga, Kenzo Yonemitsu, Sumiko Hyuga, Yoshiaki Amakura, Nahoko Uchiyama, Kazushige Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Odaguchi and Yukihiro Goda
Microorganisms 2023, 11(2), 534; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11020534 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3160
Abstract
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 [...] Read more.
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. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The New Advance on Disinfectant of Virus and Microorganisms)
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