Antiviral effects of traditional herbal medicine Otsu-Ji-To against human coronavirus OC43, SARS-CoV-2, and its variants: in vitro and in vivo studies
5 affiliations
- 1Korean Medicine Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
- 2Korean Medicine Convergence Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, 34054, Republic of Korea
- 3College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, 28644, Republic of Korea
- 4Korean Medicine Clinical Trial Center (K-CTC), Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, Seoul, 02454, Republic of Korea
- 5Korean Medicine Data Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Abstract
Background and aim: Otsu-Ji-To (OJT), also known as Eul-ja-tang in Korean, is a traditional herbal formula used to treat hemorrhoids. We investigated its antiviral effects against HCoV-OC43, SARS-CoV-2, and its variants.
Experimental procedure: Antiviral activity was determined using qRT-PCR, Western blot analysis, immunofluorescent staining assay, plaque reduction assay, or CPE reduction assay. UHPLC-QTOF MS/MS and UHPLC-MRM analyses were used to identify and quantify the OJT's chemical markers. To determine the mode of action, SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and PLpro activity assay kits and a cell-based RdRp activity assay system were used. SARS-CoV-2– or Omicron variant–infected K18-hACE2 transgenic mice and hamsters in vivo experiments were conducted.
Results and conclusions: We found that OJT inhibited HCoV-OC43 (IC50 = 674.9 μg/mL), SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 = 236.5 μg/mL), and its variants by reducing viral RNA and protein expression levels as well as attenuating cytopathic effects in vitro. We identified and quantified seven compounds from OJT's herbal components. Baicalein, liquiritigenin, emodin, and rhein exhibited anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity by lowering viral protein expression levels. Furthermore, OJT inhibited the SARS-CoV-2 viral Mpro and PLpro in enzymatic activity assays as well as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in a cell-based assay. In vivo, oral administration of OJT to wild-type SARS-CoV-2– or Omicron variant–infected K18-hACE2 transgenic mice and hamsters increased survival rates, reduced viral RNA and protein levels, or improved lung histology, suggesting OJT's therapeutic potential for treating COVID-19. These results suggest that OJT could be a promising therapeutic agent for treating coronavirus infections.
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BibTeX
@article{jin2026antiviral,
title = {{Antiviral effects of traditional herbal medicine Otsu-Ji-To against human coronavirus OC43, SARS-CoV-2, and its variants: in vitro and in vivo studies}},
author = {Young-Hee Jin and Mobashira Habib and Eun Young Oh and Sohyun Park and In Jin Ha and Jung Sun Min and Jiwon Yoon and Hyeonjeong Park and Sang-Myeong Lee and Sunoh Kwon},
journal = {Journal of traditional and complementary medicine},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1016/j.jtcme.2026.07.001},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729027},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Antiviral effects of traditional herbal medicine Otsu-Ji-To against human coronavirus OC43, SARS-CoV-2, and its variants: in vitro and in vivo studies
AU - Young-Hee Jin
AU - Mobashira Habib
AU - Eun Young Oh
AU - Sohyun Park
AU - In Jin Ha
AU - Jung Sun Min
AU - Jiwon Yoon
AU - Hyeonjeong Park
AU - Sang-Myeong Lee
AU - Sunoh Kwon
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/03
JO - Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
DO - 10.1016/j.jtcme.2026.07.001
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729027
AB - Background and aim: Otsu-Ji-To (OJT), also known as Eul-ja-tang in Korean, is a traditional herbal formula used to treat hemorrhoids. We investigated its antiviral effects against HCoV-OC43, SARS-CoV-2, and its variants. Experimental procedure: Antiviral activity was determined using qRT-PCR, Western blot analysis, immunofluorescent staining assay, plaque reduction assay, or CPE reduction assay. UHPLC-QTOF MS/MS and UHPLC-MRM analyses were used to identify and quantify the OJT's chemical markers. To determine the mode of action, SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and PLpro activity assay kits and a cell-based RdRp activity assay system were used. SARS-CoV-2– or Omicron variant–infected K18-hACE2 transgenic mice and hamsters in vivo experiments were conducted. Results and conclusions: We found that OJT inhibited HCoV-OC43 (IC50 = 674.9 μg/mL), SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 = 236.5 μg/mL), and its variants by reducing viral RNA and protein expression levels as well as attenuating cytopathic effects in vitro. We identified and quantified seven compounds from OJT's herbal components. Baicalein, liquiritigenin, emodin, and rhein exhibited anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity by lowering viral protein expression levels. Furthermore, OJT inhibited the SARS-CoV-2 viral Mpro and PLpro in enzymatic activity assays as well as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in a cell-based assay. In vivo, oral administration of OJT to wild-type SARS-CoV-2– or Omicron variant–infected K18-hACE2 transgenic mice and hamsters increased survival rates, reduced viral RNA and protein levels, or improved lung histology, suggesting OJT's therapeutic potential for treating COVID-19. These results suggest that OJT could be a promising therapeutic agent for treating coronavirus infections.
SN - 2225-4110
ER -