Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 24, 2026

Using Zebrafish Models of Human Influenza A Virus Infections to Screen Antiviral Drugs and Characterize Host Immune Cell Responses
Published on: January 20, 2017
An abietane diterpenoid from Tripterygium wilfordii inhibits influenza A virus replication and modulates host
Lizhong Wang1, Yan Zhou1, Li Pu1
1Center for Pharmaceutical Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Influenza A virus (IAV) infection remains a pervasive global public health threat. Natural products are recognised as a valuable reservoir for the discovery and development of novel antiviral agents. This study investigated the anti-IAV activity and mechanisms of 11-Hydroxy-14-methoxy-18 (4→3)-abeo-abieta-3,8,11,13- tetraen-18-oic acid named Triptobenzene H (TPZH), a diterpenoid isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii. In IAV-infected MDCK cells, TPZH increased the viability of IAV-infected MDCK cells, limited ROS accumulation, and alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction. Mechanistically, TPZH targeted the viral replication stage, disrupting the IAV life cycle and reducing viral loads. Furthermore, in virus-stimulated macrophages, TPZH suppressed inflammatory protein expression and cytokine overproduction through inhibiting activation of MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways. Collectively, TPZH exerts anti-influenza effects by blocking viral replication and alleviating virus-mediated inflammatory injury via modulation of macrophage-dependent immune responses. This study demonstrates that TPZH exhibits multi-target pharmacological properties and holds promising therapeutic potential for anti-influenza treatment.
Related Concept Videos
Inhibitors Of Virion Release
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Influenza
Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors
Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease

