ISOLATION OF THE ANTHROPOGENIC COMPOUND FLUORANTHENE IN A SCREENING OF CHINESE MEDICINAL-PLANTS FOR ANTIVIRAL COMPOUNDS

Thirty-one species of medicinal plants used in the treatment of diseas es of viral origin in Yunnan Province of China were assayed for inhibi tion of Sindbis and murine cytomegalovirus in mammalian cell cultures. Sixteen species displayed antiviral activity. A compound, which exhib ited long wavelength UV-mediated antiviral activity, was isolated from leaves and twigs of Elsholtzia ciliata (Lamiaceae) using bioassay-gui ded fractionation and identified as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbo n, fluoranthene. The discovery of an anthropogenic photosensitizer wit h antiviral activity in a plant has implications in studies of plants as sources of bioactive constituents.