Biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs: Nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumonia

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a ubiquitous respiratory virus that affects individuals of all ages; however, there is a notable lack of targeted treatments. RSV infection is associated with a range of respiratory symptoms, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Baicalin (BA) exhibits significa...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chenqi Chang, Chang Lu, Yu Zheng, Lili Lin, XiuZhen Chen, Linwei Chen, Zhipeng Chen, Rui Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095177925000188
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849341991191576576
author Chenqi Chang
Chang Lu
Yu Zheng
Lili Lin
XiuZhen Chen
Linwei Chen
Zhipeng Chen
Rui Chen
author_facet Chenqi Chang
Chang Lu
Yu Zheng
Lili Lin
XiuZhen Chen
Linwei Chen
Zhipeng Chen
Rui Chen
author_sort Chenqi Chang
collection DOAJ
description Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a ubiquitous respiratory virus that affects individuals of all ages; however, there is a notable lack of targeted treatments. RSV infection is associated with a range of respiratory symptoms, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Baicalin (BA) exhibits significant therapeutic effects against RSV infection through mechanisms of viral inhibition and anti-inflammatory action. Nonetheless, the clinical application of BA is constrained by its low solubility and bioavailability. In this study, we prepared BA nanodrugs (BA NDs) with enhanced water solubility utilizing the supramolecular self-assembled strategy, and we further conducted a comparative analysis of this pharmacological activity between free drugs and NDs of BA. Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that BA NDs significantly enhanced the dual effects of viral inhibition and inflammation relief compared to free BA, attributed to prolonged lung retention, improved cellular uptake, and increased targeting affinity. Our study confirms that the nanosizing strategy, a straightforward approach to enhance drug solubility, can also increase biological activity compared to free drugs with the same content, thereby providing a potential ND for RSV treatment. This correlation analysis between the existing forms of drugs and their biological activity offers a novel perspective for research on the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine.
format Article
id doaj-art-4e4b2ff53f5946cab5e3bf27df0cb03c
institution Kabale University
issn 2095-1779
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis
spelling doaj-art-4e4b2ff53f5946cab5e3bf27df0cb03c2025-08-20T03:43:31ZengElsevierJournal of Pharmaceutical Analysis2095-17792025-07-0115710120110.1016/j.jpha.2025.101201Biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs: Nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumoniaChenqi Chang0Chang Lu1Yu Zheng2Lili Lin3XiuZhen Chen4Linwei Chen5Zhipeng Chen6Rui Chen7College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu, 225300, ChinaCollege of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu, 225300, ChinaCollege of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Medical Metabolomics Center, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, ChinaClinical Research Center, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210003, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu, 225300, China; Corresponding author.College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Corresponding author.College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Corresponding author.Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a ubiquitous respiratory virus that affects individuals of all ages; however, there is a notable lack of targeted treatments. RSV infection is associated with a range of respiratory symptoms, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Baicalin (BA) exhibits significant therapeutic effects against RSV infection through mechanisms of viral inhibition and anti-inflammatory action. Nonetheless, the clinical application of BA is constrained by its low solubility and bioavailability. In this study, we prepared BA nanodrugs (BA NDs) with enhanced water solubility utilizing the supramolecular self-assembled strategy, and we further conducted a comparative analysis of this pharmacological activity between free drugs and NDs of BA. Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that BA NDs significantly enhanced the dual effects of viral inhibition and inflammation relief compared to free BA, attributed to prolonged lung retention, improved cellular uptake, and increased targeting affinity. Our study confirms that the nanosizing strategy, a straightforward approach to enhance drug solubility, can also increase biological activity compared to free drugs with the same content, thereby providing a potential ND for RSV treatment. This correlation analysis between the existing forms of drugs and their biological activity offers a novel perspective for research on the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095177925000188Respiratory syncytial virusBaicalinNanodrugsBiological activity analysisAntiviralAnti-inflammatory
spellingShingle Chenqi Chang
Chang Lu
Yu Zheng
Lili Lin
XiuZhen Chen
Linwei Chen
Zhipeng Chen
Rui Chen
Biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs: Nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumonia
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis
Respiratory syncytial virus
Baicalin
Nanodrugs
Biological activity analysis
Antiviral
Anti-inflammatory
title Biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs: Nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumonia
title_full Biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs: Nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumonia
title_fullStr Biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs: Nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumonia
title_full_unstemmed Biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs: Nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumonia
title_short Biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs: Nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumonia
title_sort biological activity analysis of baicalin nanodrugs nanosizing enhances antiviral and anti inflammatory effects in the treatment of viral pneumonia
topic Respiratory syncytial virus
Baicalin
Nanodrugs
Biological activity analysis
Antiviral
Anti-inflammatory
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095177925000188
work_keys_str_mv AT chenqichang biologicalactivityanalysisofbaicalinnanodrugsnanosizingenhancesantiviralandantiinflammatoryeffectsinthetreatmentofviralpneumonia
AT changlu biologicalactivityanalysisofbaicalinnanodrugsnanosizingenhancesantiviralandantiinflammatoryeffectsinthetreatmentofviralpneumonia
AT yuzheng biologicalactivityanalysisofbaicalinnanodrugsnanosizingenhancesantiviralandantiinflammatoryeffectsinthetreatmentofviralpneumonia
AT lililin biologicalactivityanalysisofbaicalinnanodrugsnanosizingenhancesantiviralandantiinflammatoryeffectsinthetreatmentofviralpneumonia
AT xiuzhenchen biologicalactivityanalysisofbaicalinnanodrugsnanosizingenhancesantiviralandantiinflammatoryeffectsinthetreatmentofviralpneumonia
AT linweichen biologicalactivityanalysisofbaicalinnanodrugsnanosizingenhancesantiviralandantiinflammatoryeffectsinthetreatmentofviralpneumonia
AT zhipengchen biologicalactivityanalysisofbaicalinnanodrugsnanosizingenhancesantiviralandantiinflammatoryeffectsinthetreatmentofviralpneumonia
AT ruichen biologicalactivityanalysisofbaicalinnanodrugsnanosizingenhancesantiviralandantiinflammatoryeffectsinthetreatmentofviralpneumonia