Brilliant Black BN (E 151) is an azo dye and a food colorant. It is a promising antiviral agent against EV71 infection via inhibiting the interaction between EV71 and its cellular uncoating factor cyclophilin A.

EV71 (various strains):2.39 µM- 28.12 µM (IC50)

Brilliant black BN inhibited the infection EV71 -GFP at a concentration of 300 μM. Brilliant black BN exhibits the inhibition of EV71 -GFP as a dose-dependent manner in infected RD cells (IC50: 10.1 μM). Brilliant black BN is able to inhibit all tested 28 EV71, CVA16, and CVA6 strains. In rhabdomyosarcoma cells, 50% inhibitory concentration 29 of the dye E151 for various strains of EV71 ranged from 2.39 μM to 28.12 μM, whereas its 50% cytotoxic concentration is 1870 μM [2].

Brilliant black BN (i.p.; 200 mg/kg; 14 days)exhibits mild illness with clinical scores less than 3 and subsequently recovered when compared with PBS-group. All E151 270 treated mice are completely protected throughout the experiment [2].