[Experimental study of 472 herbs with antiviral action against the herpes simplex virus].

Using tissue culture method, the present work with its first-hand observation was primarily concerned with evaluating the antiviral effect of 472 traditional medicinal herbs (comprising raw material 10 mg/ml), through both initial (qualitative) and repeated (quantitative) screens, on type 1 herpes simplex virus. When dealing with water and alcoholic extracts, the effective herbs during initial screens were reduced after repeated screens by a range of 28.8-80.0%. Employing the basic value attained by the simultaneous route of drug administration, a stepwise declining of effective herbs would be: extratube route greater than simultaneous route greater than therapeutic route greater than preventive route. The more the routes of drug administration, the less the multiple-route simultaneous efficacy of a herb. Through repeated screens, 10 highly effective herbs were Aristolochia debilis, Artemisia anomala, Lindera strychnifolia, Patrinia villosa, Pinus massoniana, Prunella vulgaris, Pyrrosia lingua, Rhus chinensis, Sargussum fusiforme and Taraxacum mongolicum. Clinically, among the 78 cases of herpetic keratitis due to HSV1 treated by Pyrrosia lingua and Prunella vulgaris eye drops, a cure was effected in 38 and an improvement in 37, with 3 being of no benefit.