Many flaviviruses, such as Zika virus (ZIKV), Dengue virus (DENV1-4) and yellow fever virus (YFV), are significant human pathogens. Infection with ZIKV, an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus, is associated with increased risk of microcephaly in newborns and Guillain-Barré syndrome and other complications in adults. Currently, specific therapy does not exist for any flavivirus infections. In this study, we found that erythrosin B, an FDA-approved food additive, is a potent inhibitor for flaviviruses, including ZIKV and DENV2. Erythrosin B was found to inhibit the DENV2 and ZIKV NS2B-NS3 proteases with IC₅₀ in low micromolar range, via a non-competitive mechanism. Erythrosin B can significantly reduce titers of representative flaviviruses, DENV2, ZIKV, YFV, JEV, and WNV, with micromolar potency and with excellent cytotoxicity profile. Erythrosin B can also inhibit ZIKV replication in ZIKV-relevant human placental and neural progenitor cells. As a pregnancy category B food additive, erythrosin B may represent a promising and easily developed therapy for management of infections by ZIKV and other flaviviruses.

许多黄病毒，例如寨卡病毒（ZIKV），登革热病毒（DENV1-4）和黄热病病毒（YFV），都是重要的人类病原体。ZIKV（一种新兴的蚊媒黄病毒）感染与新生儿小头畸形和格林－巴利综合症（Guillain-Barrésyndrome）以及成人的其他并发症的风险增加有关。目前，尚不存在针对任何黄病毒感染的特异性疗法。在这项研究中，我们发现erythrosin B是FDA批准的食品添加剂，是黄病毒（包括ZIKV和DENV2）的有效抑制剂。发现赤藓红B通过低微摩尔范围的IC ₅₀抑制DENV2和ZIKV NS2B-NS3蛋白酶。非竞争性机制。Erosthrosin B可显着降低代表性黄病毒DENV2，ZIKV，YFV，JEV和WNV的滴度，具有微摩尔效价并具有出色的细胞毒性谱。Erosthrosin B还可以抑制ZIKV相关人类胎盘和神经祖细胞中的ZIKV复制。作为妊娠B类食品添加剂，赤藓红B可能代表一种有前途且易于开发的治疗ZIKV和其他黄病毒感染的疗法。