Influenza (influenza for short) is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza virus. It is also a disease with strong infectivity and rapid transmission. It is mainly spread through droplets in the air, human contact or contact with contaminated objects. Typical clinical symptoms are: acute high fever, general pain, significant fatigue and mild respiratory symptoms. Generally, autumn and winter is the high incidence period, which causes serious complications and death. Caused by influenza virus, the virus is not heat-resistant, inactivated at 100 ℃ for 1 minute or 56 ℃ for 30 minutes, sensitive to common disinfectants (1% formaldehyde, peracetic acid, chlorine containing disinfectants, etc.), sensitive to ultraviolet light, resistant to low temperature and drying, and can survive under vacuum drying or -20 ℃. Among them, influenza A virus often has antigen variation, is highly infectious, spreads rapidly, and is prone to a large-scale epidemic.

    Influenza is the first infectious disease to be detected globally, and it is the focus of global research. Influenza virus is the main pathogen of influenza. In the history of virus development, almost no virus has been playing a leading role like influenza virus. Influenza has been one of the major infectious diseases that seriously threaten human health because of its strong infectivity, high incidence, wide prevalence and high mortality. The current drugs and vaccines can not effectively prevent and treat influenza. Some scholars have carried out experimental studies on arctiin the anti influenza A I virus, and found that arctiin has significant effects on isolated rat trachea and   Colon, pulmonary artery, thoracic aorta and guinea pig trachea have relaxation effect, which is caused by inhibition of extracellular calcium influx and internal calcium release. Arctigenin can directly inhibit or inactivate influenza virus, and has strong anti influenza A I virus effect in vitro. It is an effective component of Arctium to relieve the function. Studies have confirmed that arctigenin has the activity of anti influenza A II virus infection. At present, influenza A viruses in the population are type a I and type a III. Arctigenin has a death protective effect on mice infected with influenza A I virus, suggesting that arctigenin may be an effective drug for the treatment of influenza.

    Traditional Chinese medicine has rich experience in anti-virus. Arctiin and arctigenin, which are effective anti-virus components extracted from Arctium lappa L., have been proved to have certain anti influenza effect. So for burdock seed andArctiinThe research and development of anti influenza drugs has important practical significance and economic benefits.