Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Sclareol reduces lung damage from feline calicivirus by blocking
By Yan, Yuanyuan et al.·Published in International immunopharmacology·2025·Institute of Microbiology Applications, China·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Sclareol can effectively ameliorate Feline calicivirus induced lung injury via the inhibition of inflammation and apoptosis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with lung injuries caused by Feline calicivirus (FCV) showed improvement after being treated with a natural compound called sclareol. This treatment helped reduce inflammation and cell death in the lungs, which are common issues with FCV infections. The cats that received sclareol had less swelling and fewer inflammatory cells in their lungs, leading to better overall health. These findings suggest that sclareol could be a promising option for treating FCV and similar viral infections in cats.
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Abstract
Caliciviridae are important pathogens of humans and animals that cause significant and sometimes lethal diseases; however, despite substantial research efforts, specific antiviral treatments for Caliciviridae viruses are lacking. Sclareol is a labdane-type diterpenoid natural fragrance compound with a wide array of biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties. This study revealed that sclareol has a good antiviral effect against Feline calicivirus (FCV) (a surrogate for human norovirus). Our research revealed that sclareol strongly suppressed FCV replication in CRFK. The RNA-seq analysis results revealed that sclareol can significantly inhibit the proliferation of FCVs by influencing the TNF-α signalling pathway. Moreover, knocking down the TNF-associated receptor TNFR significantly reduced viral replication. Further investigation revealed that sclareol treatment significantly inhibited FCV-induced apoptosis, and we found that the activator of apoptosis PAC-1 can significantly restore the antiviral effect of sclareol. Moreover, we also found that sclareol has an anti-inflammatory effect through the suppression of proinflammatory cytokine production and that the PEGinflammatory response plays an important role in viral replication. Moreover, through in vivo studies, we found that sclareol relieved pulmonary inflammation and reduced apoptosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and pulmonary oedema induced by viral infection in cats. The sclareol treatment group presented significantly reduced expression of inflammatory factors associated with lung injury, including TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1 and CXCL-8. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that sclareol might be a potential agent for treating FCV infection and other Caliciviridae viruses.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40795501/