Drugs to cure avian influenza infection – multiple ways to prevent cell death

Yuan, S

Szretter et al. 37 showed that IFNa/b pretreatment significantly reduced the replication of the H5N1 virus. Zheng et al. 26 indicated that combinations of immunomodulators and antiviral agents significantly reduced mortality in mice infected by a high inoculum of influenza H5N1 virus. They used two immunomodulators -Celecoxib (cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor) and Mesalazine (5-amino salicylic acid). These two drugs did not cause significant immunosuppression and, hence, hardly influenced the body's immune system against AIV. 26 Six of the eight cytokines induced by H5N1 and H1N1 (IL-6, IFNa, macrophage inflammatory protein-1b, IFNg-induced protein 10, regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted, and monocyte chemotactic protein 1) were suppressed by Celecoxib (400 mg/ml) and Mesalazine (200 mg/ml). 27 Therefore, Celecoxib and Mesalazine may be two good candidate drugs that could suppress a cytokine 'storm,' besides CsA.