Xuanfei Formula Attenuates RSV Infection

RSV, a leading cause of severe respiratory illnesses in vulnerable populations, lacks effective, affordable treatments for pediatric use. The potential of traditional Chinese medicine for relieving viral symptoms prompted this investigation into Xuanfei Formula (XFF) as an anti-RSV agent. This study employed H&E staining, cytokine profiling, and RSV titer quantification in BALB/c mice to evaluate the impact of XFF on RSV infection. Strikingly, immediate post-treatment observation showed a precipitous drop in both serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and pulmonary RSV-N gene copies in comparison to infected controls, suggesting XFF's direct anti-RSV action. Transcriptome analyses were used to pinpointed the underlying mechanism behind formula's immune-independent anti-RSV, a leading cause of severe respiratory illnesses in vulnerable populations, lacks effective, affordable treatments for pediatric use. The potential of traditional Chinese medicine for relieving viral symptoms prompted this investigation into Xuanfei Formula (XFF) as an anti-RSV agent. This study employed H&E staining, cytokine profiling, and RSV titer quantification in BALB/c mice to evaluate the impact of XFF on RSV infection. Strikingly, immediate post-treatment observation showed a precipitous drop in both serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and pulmonary RSV-N gene copies in comparison to infected controls, suggesting XFF's direct anti-RSV action. Transcriptome analyses were used to pinpointed the underlying mechanism behind formula's immune-independent anti-RSV effects during infection. Overall design: RSV Animal Model and GroupingsFemale SPF BALB/c mice, 6-8 weeks old, were categorized into seven cohorts. The Mock group remained untreated, while other groups experienced RSV challenge and XFF or saline treatment according to designated protocols. RSV infection commenced intranasally with 1 × 106 PFU in 50 µL. Concurrently, XFF or saline (5 g/kg/day) was administered intragastrically starting at 4 hours post-infection. RNA Sequencing ProtocolLung tissues were harvested for RNA isolation and assessed for quality via Agilent tech. Libraries, post-construction, were quantified using Qubit, followed by sequencing on the DNBSEQ-T7 system for transcriptomic analysis.