Anti-influenza activity of Euglena extract augmented by zinc ionophore quercetin

Hitomi Yagai; Yuka Horio; Keiko Wakimoto; Ryosuke Morimoto; Yuji Oki; Ayaka Nakashima; Kengo Suzuki; Yoshihisa Nakano; Ryoichi Yamaji; Yuji Isegawa

Journal of Functional Foods (May 2024)

Anti-influenza activity of Euglena extract augmented by zinc ionophore quercetin

Hitomi Yagai,
Yuka Horio,
Keiko Wakimoto,
Ryosuke Morimoto,
Yuji Oki,
Ayaka Nakashima,
Kengo Suzuki,
Yoshihisa Nakano,
Ryoichi Yamaji,
Yuji Isegawa

Affiliations

Hitomi Yagai: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan; Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, School of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya, Japan
Yuka Horio: Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, School of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya, Japan
Keiko Wakimoto: Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, School of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya, Japan
Ryosuke Morimoto: Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, School of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya, Japan
Yuji Oki: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan
Ayaka Nakashima: Euglena Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
Kengo Suzuki: Euglena Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
Yoshihisa Nakano: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan
Ryoichi Yamaji: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan
Yuji Isegawa: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan; Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, School of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya, Japan; Corresponding author at: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 116
p. 106176

Abstract

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Euglena extract has anti-influenza virus activity, which can be enhanced using quercetin. This zinc ionophore reduces the time needed for zinc to penetrate infected cells and exerts strong anti-influenza virus activity. We investigated this phenomenon by exposing influenza A virus H1N1, cultured in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, to a Euglena extract and quercetin solution. The viral titer was measured using the focus-forming reduction assay, and zinc levels in the cells were determined using Zinquin ethyl ester. Colby's equation was used to determine whether viral inhibition was due to a synergistic effect. Quercetin synergistically enhanced the anti-influenza virus effect of Euglena extract (inhibition rate: 89.3 % after 24 h) by rapidly inducing cellular zinc production and increasing intracellular zinc content (1.25 times higher than that of the control). This medicinal combination may provide new possibilities for preventing and treating influenza.

Published in Journal of Functional Foods

ISSN: 1756-4646 (Print); 2214-9414 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Home economics: Nutrition. Foods and food supply
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-functional-foods

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