Bis-Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloids Inhibit Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus In Vitro and In Vivo

The study investigated the antiviral effects of bis-benzylisoquinoline alkaloids—cepharanthine (CEP), tetrandrine (TET), and fangchinoline (FAN)—against Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro experiments showed that these compounds inhibited PEDV replication in Vero cells, with CEP having the highest selectivity index and demonstrating complete inhibition at 20 μM concentrations. In vivo, CEP was tested on 9 piglets and showed a protective effect by significantly reducing viral load and preventing intestinal lesions, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent. CEP was found to be safe for use in piglets at a dosage of 11.1 mg/kg. The study concluded that CEP, TET, and FAN could be promising antiviral agents against PEDV.