Abstract: ObjectiveTo study the inhibitory effect of asiaticoside from Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides on duck hepatitis B virus(DHBV).MethodsGuangxi partridge ducks with DHBV infection were divided into five groups(10 in each group):model control(untreated group),positive control(200 mg/kg lamivudine,3TC)and high-,medium- and low-dose(20,10 and 5 mg/kg)asiaticoside-treated groups.The ducks in the treatment groups were treated with corresponding drugs,while the ducks in the model control groups were orally administered an equal volume of saline daily for 14 days.Serum samples of the ducks were collected via crural vein at the initiation of treatment,the 7th day of treatment,the 14th day of treatment and the 3rd day of post-treatment.The levels of serum DHBV DNA,hepatitis B surface antigen/hepatitis B E antigen(HbsAg/HbeAg),alanine aminotransferase/aspertate aminotrans ferase(ALT/AST)were determined and hepatic pathological changes were observed.ResultsThe serum DHBV-DNA,HBsAg/HBeAg and ALT/AST levels in ducks of high- and medium-dose asiaticoside-treated groups and 3TC-treated group were markedly decreased compared with those in the ducks of model control group.Whereas,the DHBV-DNA,HbsAg,HBeAg,ALT,and AST levels increased 3 days after the treatment,with the values of 1.21±0.11, 0.12±0.01, 0.11±0.01, 122.4±15.5, and 85.2±9.4 for the high-dose asiaticoside treatment group and 2.36±0.13, 0.18±0.01, 0.15±0.01, 233.5±13.8, and 121.3±10.2 for the 3TC tneatment group.Moreover,the pathologic observation indicated that asiaticoside could significantly alleviate liver damage.ConclusionAsiaticoside could efficiently inhibit HBV replication in vivo,and may be one of the major active ingredients of Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides.