Treatment of rotaviral gastroenteritis with Qiwei Baizhu powder

AIM To observe the effects of Qiwei Baizhu Powder (QWBZP) on rotaviral gast roenteritis in children and in animal models. METHODS Enrolled patients were divided into two groups, and one group was t reated with oral rehydration solution (ORS) and the other treated with oral liquid of QWBZP. Neonate mice were orally infected with 50 muL rotavirus s uspension (4 x 10(8) PFU/ mL) and treated with ORS or oral liquid of QWBZP, respectively. RESULTS Eighty-three cases of rotaviral gastroenteritis treated with QWBZP revealed a better efficacy than that treated with ORS (x(2) = 10.87, P < 0. 05). The contents of sodium and glucose as well as number of patients with positive human rotavirus antigen in stool in QWBZP group were all less than that in ORS group. In animal models, QWBZP was found effective in treating rotavirus gastroenteritis in neonate NIH mice, as compared with control gr oups. In QWBZP group, the mortality of infected mice was decreased by 73.3% , the body weight of infected mice was increased, the contents of sodium an d glucose as well as number of mice with positive rotavirus antigen in fece s were significantly reduced, and the pathological changes such as damage o f small intestinal mucosa and villi were also obviously alleviated. CONCLUSION QWBZP has effects on improving the absorptive function of small intestine, shortening the duration of diarrhea and rotavirus shedding from stool and alleviating the pathological changes of small intestine induced b y rotavirus.