INHIBITION OF INFLUENZA-VIRUS PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS BY A PLANT PREPARATION FROM GERANIUM-SANGUINEUM L

A polyphenolic complex (PC) with antiviral properties has been isolate d from the Bulgarian medicinal plant Geranium sanguineum L. A study wa s undertaken to investigate the effect of PC on virus-specific protein synthesis in influenza virus-infected cells. The expression of viral glycoproteins on the surface of chick embryo fibroblasts infected with virus A/FPV strain Restock (H7N1) was suppressed. Virus protein synth esis was selectively inhibited as shown by SDS polyacrylamide gel elec trophoresis of S-35-methionine-labelled proteins and proteins immunopr ecipitated with monoclonal antibodies. The inhibitory effect was dose- dependent and better pronounced when PC was applied after virus infect ion. Two variants of influenza virus FPV/Rostock with reduced drug sus ceptibility were selected. PC affected to a lesser extent the synthesi s of viral proteins in cells infected with the variants as compared to the sensitive parental virus.