In vitro evaluation of a natural food supplement as inhibitors of feline herpesvirus replication

The feline herpesvirus (FHV) is a widely diffused and highly contagious virus that represents a common health problem in cats. It is frequently associated with diseases of different pathogenicity that can be particularly severe in young kittens leading to viral pneumonia and sometimes death. Unfortunately, there isn't an effective therapeutic protocol against the virus. Several studies concerning the application of alternative treatments against herpesviruses have been performed with promising results, in both human and veterinary medicine. The present study aims to inves-tigate the in vitro antiviral properties against FHV of a commercially available food supplement HELP-TH1 (Camon, S.p.A., Italy) against FHV. The HELP-TH1 is principally composed of Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps sinensis,and Trametes versicolor. Since those mushrooms have been largely used in traditional medicine for different purposes and several studies indicate their antiviral properties when used alone, we tested if their properties are maintained when acting as a synergy. For such a reason, we tested the possible antiviral properties of HELP-TH1, a commercially avail-able food supplement against FHV. The role of HELP-TH1 was evaluated by the plaque reduction assay and real time PCR. These data indicated that, in the in vitro experimental conditions, HELP-TH1can reduce cytopathic effect of the virus and its relativethe viral load demonstrating its antiviral properties.