Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39865580›Full record

ArticleAnimal models and experimental medicine2025

Antiviral effects and mechanism of Qi pi pill against influenza viruses.

Chengcheng Zhang, Jing Gao, Meiyue Dong, Carolina Q Sacramento, Ping Li, Xiangyu Lian, Lingyuan Fan, Lijun Rong, Ruikun Du, Jingzhen Tian and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Animal models and experimental medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Chengcheng ZhangCollege of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China.ORCID 0009-0003-8688-9196
Jing GaoThe Third People's Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
Meiyue DongInnovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Carolina Q SacramentoDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Ping LiDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Xiangyu LianQingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
Lingyuan FanQingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
Lijun RongDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Ruikun DuQingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
Jingzhen TianCollege of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Qinghua CuiQingdao Academy of Chinese Medicinal Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qingdao, Shandong, China.

Funding

Jinan City Funding for University Innovation Teams 2021GXRC028Major Basic Program of Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2021ZD17Project for Development of TCM Science and Technology of Shandong Province M-2022145Special Emergency research and development of Social Benefiting Technology Program, Qingdao 23-7-8-smjk-3-nsh
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundQi pi pill (QPP), which contains Renshen, Baizhu, Fuling, Gancao, Chenpi, Shanyao, Lianzi, Shanzha, Liushenqu, Maiya, and Zexie, was recommended for preventing and treating COVID-19 in Shandong Province (China). However, the mechanism by which QPP treats infectious diseases remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effect of QPP in vitro and on acute influenza infection in mice, exploring its mechanism of action against influenza A virus (IAV).

methodsThe in vitro activity of QPP was assessed using dose-response curve analysis and titer reduction assay, and its antiviral mechanism was identified in vitro by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), time-of-addition, and enzymatic assays. The antiviral efficacy of QPP was further evaluated in vivo using BALB/c mice infected with IAV. At the same time, each single Chinese herbal medicine in QPP was evaluated to preliminarily identify those with antiviral effects.

resultsIn vitro results showed that QPP exhibited a higher potency antiviral effect against both influenza A and B viruses, inhibiting viral RNA replication and release by targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and neuraminidase. Additionally, QPP significantly decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines in A549 cells. In vivo study revealed that QPP significantly reduced the lung index and viral load in lung tissue of mice infected with IAV. Renshen, Gancao, Zexie, and Lianzi were the Chinese herbal medicines from QPP that showed anti-IAV activity.

conclusionThe antiviral activity of QPP targets IAV replication and release, cytokine modulation in host cells, and provides protection in mice with acute influenza infection.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsDrugs, Chinese HerbalInfluenza A virusOrthomyxoviridae InfectionsAnimalsDogsFemaleHumansMadin Darby Canine Kidney CellsMiceMice, Inbred BALB CVirus ReplicationAntiviral AgentsDrugs, Chinese Herbalanti‐inflammatoryChinese patent medicineinfluenza A virusQi pi pilltraditional Chinese medicine

Identifiers

PMID39865580
PMCPMC12464867

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.