Results of the study of antiviral activity of ASD substance in experimental infection of mice with influenza viruses

The aim. To evaluate the antiviral efficacy of ASD drug on a model of lethal influenza pneumonia in mice against influenza A viruses of subtypes H3N2, H5N2 and H5N8.

Materials and methods. Balb/c mice were infected with influenza viruses. The decrease of mortality and improvement in the weight dynamics of infected animals (15 animals per group) were evaluated, and the viral load in the lung tissue was determined on day 3 after infection (6 animals per group). Oseltamivir was used as a comparator medicine, and placebo was administered to negative control group animals. The medicines were administered according to a therapeutic-prophylactic or therapeutic regimen.

Results. The maximum weight loss with the H5N8 virus infected mice (placebo group) was 16.8% on day 12 (therapeutic-prophylactic regimen) and 14.8% on day 9 (therapeutic regimen). ASD worsened the dynamics of weight loss, up to 21% on day 12 (therapeutic-prophylactic regimen) and up to 28.4% on day 9 (therapeutic regimen). The maximum weight loss with the H5N2 virus infected mice was 34.6% on day 8 (therapeutic-prophylactic regimen) and 31.2% on day 7 (therapeutic regimen). The ASD medicine reduced the dynamics of weight loss: up to 29.9% on day 8 (therapeutic-prophylactic regimen) and up to 26.3% on day 7 (therapeutic regimen). The maximum weight loss with the the H3N2 virus was 38.4% on day 11 (therapeutic-prophylactic regimen) and 33.9% on day 9 (therapeutic regimen). The ASD medicine improved the dynamics of weight loss to 18.5% on day 11 (therapeutic-prophylactic regimen), but with the therapeutic regimen, it worsened the dynamics to 34.1% on day 9. A decrease of the survival rate of mice infected with the H5N8 virus using ASD (therapeutic regimen) was revealed. Mice receiving ASD and infected with the H3N2 virus (therapeutic-prophylactic regimen) or H5N2 (therapeutic regimen) showed a tendency towards a protective effect of the drug. No effect of the ASD medicine on the level of viral load was noted.

Conclusion. The ASD medicine exhibits antiviral properties when administered orally according to a therapeutic-prophylactic regimen against influenza A virus (subtypes H3N2 and H5N2).

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