[Deitiforine, an antiinfluenza chemotherapeutic].

The problem of prophylaxis and therapy of influenza infections remains one of the priority goals for medical science and practical health care. The review includes the discussion of antiviral activity of Deitiforine, a Russian chemotherapeutic. The data on the toxicity and the specific activity spectrum in cell cultures, chicken embryos and laboratory animals are presented. The problem of the influenza viruses resistance to cage compounds and in particular to rimantadine and Deitiforine is also discussed.

[Effect of a combination of glutamyl-tryptophan and glycyrrhizic acid on the course of acute infection caused by influenza (H3H2) virus in mice].

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the modulating effect of glutamyl-tryptophan (EW), glycyrrhizic acid (GA), and their combination on the course of experimental infection caused by influenza A (H3N2) virus in mice. The animals were infected with influenza A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) virus in a dose of 1 or 10 LD50. GA (10 mg/kg body weight) and EW (0.1, 10, and 1000 microg/kg) alone or in combination were intraperitoneally injected for 5 days, starting on day 1 of virus infection. Rimantadine 50 mg/kg/day was used as a comparison drug. The combination of EW (1000 microg/kg) and GA (10 mg/kg) was ascertained to exert the maximum protective effect manifesting itself in reducing the death of infected animals (by 75-79% compared to the control depending on the viral dose) and the titers of viruses accumulated in the lung (5-6 log EID50) and in preventing lung tissue edema and inflammation. The noted effect was comparable with that seen in the use of rimantadine. The agents used alone had a lower efficacy than rimantadine. The findings permit the combination of GA and EW to be considered to be a promising agent for the treatment of influenza.

[Development of novel drugs against influenza virus based on synthetic and natural compounds].

Recent progress of the laboratory in the area of the search and development of novel remedies for prophylaxis and treatment of influenza is reviewed in this work. The data of the study of the anti-viral activity of compounds from the chemical groups of azolo-adamantanes, triterpenes, derivatives of benzimidazole, usnic acid, and other heterocyclic substances are presented. The protective properties of the plant antioxidants at lethal influenza infection of animals are discussed. High virus-inhibiting activity of natural polysaccharides and their complexes with silver ions is shown against influenza virus. The data presented allow listed groups of compounds to be suggested as promising candidates for further development of anti-influenza drugs.

[In vitro and in vivo effects of ingavirin on the ultrastructure and infectivity of influenza virus].

The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of ingavirin on the structure and properties of influenza virions forming in its presence. The infectious activity of the virus and the morphology of the virions were analyzed by titration in cell culture and electron microscopy, respectively. The use of ingavirin was shown to reduce the proportion of morphologically intact virions and to increase that of filamentous and giant particles. No defects of surface glycoproteins were observed. The effect of the drug did not depend on the chosen model of virus replication and it was similarly shown in both cultured human cells and laboratory animals. In MDCK and A549 cells and in the mouse lungs, viral infectious activity was decreased by 1-2 orders of magnitude in relation to a model. The findings suggest that Ingavirin is able to impair the processes of viral morphogenesis, which in turn leads to a reduction in the infectivity of progeny virions.