The design of our experiment and the mechanism of action of eugenol.

<p>Eighty six traditional Chinese medicines were screened by our drug screening model which was based on the inhibition of the dissociation of Beclin1-Bcl2 heterodimer, and <i>Syzygium aromaticum</i> L. was found to have the best activity. We purchased eugenol, the major active compound of <i>Syzygium aromaticum</i> L. and found it also inhibited the dissociation of Beclin1-Bcl2 heterodimer. We then detected the anti-autophagy and anti-IAV activity of eugenol. Next we explored the mechanism of action of eugenol. Eugenol could inhibit the oxidative stress and the activation of ERK/JNK/p38 MAPK and IKK/NF-κB pathways induced by IAV infection, both of them were important regulators of the dissociation of Beclin1-Bcl2 heterodimer, and thus conversely displayed the reasonableness of the design of our drug screening model. Moreover, eugenol also inhibited the expression of autophagic genes. Eventually, eugenol inhibited autophagy and impaired IAV replication.