生体防御因子群の分泌を促進する塩酸アンブロキソールの抗インフルエンザ効果

Ambroxyol, known as a mucolytic agent, has been used for the treatment of chronic bronchitis and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Furthermore, ambroxol exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties with reduction of the release of inflammatory cytokines. However, little is known about the pharmacological effect of ambroxol on influenza-virus infection in vivo. In this study, the protective effect of ambroxol against influenza-virus multiplication in the airway was investigated in mice. Ambroxol or the vehicle was administered intraperitonially twice a day for 5-7 days to mice shortly after intranasal infection with a lethal dose of influenza A/Aichi/68 (H3N2) virus, and the survival rate and levels of factors regulating virus multiplication in the airway fluid were analyzed. Ambroxol significantly suppressed virus multiplication and improved the survival rate of mice. Moreover, ambroxol stimulate the suppresors of infuluenza-virus multiplication, such as pulmonary surfactant, mucus protease inhibitor and IgA. These findings suggest that the effect of ambroxol on influenza-virus infection may result from the up-regulation of the suppressors. In this review, we discussed the effects of ambroxol on prevention and treatment of influenza virus infection.