Duchesnea chrysantha, a wild strawberry species native to Korea (Image courtesy of the National Institute of Biological Resources)
SEOUL, March 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean researchers have discovered that a common native plant shows promising results in suppressing norovirus, offering potential hope for preventing the widespread winter illness.
The National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR) announced on March 12 that extracts from Duchesnea chrysantha, a wild strawberry species native to Korea, demonstrated significant antiviral properties against norovirus in laboratory studies.
Research conducted in collaboration with Byun Sanguine, a professor at Yonsei University, showed that the plant extract inhibited up to 97% of norovirus in infected immune cells while improving cell survival rates by 33%. In animal studies, subjects given the extract showed a 61% reduction in intestinal viral load when exposed to norovirus.
The plant, which grows abundantly in South Korea’s mountains and fields, is characterized by its creeping growth pattern. The research team has filed a patent in for their findings and plans to conduct further studies on the active compounds.
“This discovery is significant as it identifies a potential preventive measure against norovirus infections that recur every winter,” said Suh Min-hwan, director of the NIBR. “We plan to strengthen cooperation with the biotechnology industry to develop this patented technology into health supplements that can benefit public health.”
The development is particularly noteworthy because there are currently no vaccines or treatments available for norovirus, a common cause of gastroenteritis that typically peaks during winter months. The research team is exploring the possibility of developing health supplements using the plant extract.
The institute has been conducting research on utilizing native biological resources since 2023. Future studies will focus on identifying and analyzing the specific compounds responsible for the antiviral effects.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
