Assessing Traditional Chinese Medicines for Anti-Dengue Using a National Health Insurance Research Database and Bioassays

Dengue fever is a widespread viral infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Despite the potentially fatal consequences for some individuals, no antiviral drugs have been approved for the treatment of this disease. Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database (NHID) holds extensive medical records for almost every resident, encompassing conventional and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments. This study aims to uncover potential TCM formulas with antiviral properties against dengue fever by analyzing NHID data. Initially, the NHID was screened to identify candidate TCM formulas. Subsequently, immunofluorescence assays were conducted to evaluate the anti-dengue virus (DENV) effects of these TCM compounds. Selected TCM formulas underwent testing for cytotoxicity and anti-DENV activity. The study identified 62 promising TCM formulas, focusing on those most frequently prescribed and their potential efficacy. Among these, 23 TCM formulas showed promise in preventing severe illness, with 20 subjected to further analysis for cytotoxicity and anti-DENV effects. Notably, Gastrodiae Rhizoma and Pinellia Rhizoma exhibited significant anti-DENV activity at different multiplicities of infection (MOIs). This research introduces a novel methodology for identifying potential antiviral compounds against dengue fever, leveraging NHID data alongside immunofluorescence assays.