SYNTHESIS AND ANTI-PICORNAVIRUS ACTIVITY OF HOMO-ISOFLAVONOIDS

Substituted homo-isoflavonoids were synthesized in order to study thei r in vitro anti-picornavirus activity. The maximum non-toxic concentra tion of the compounds for susceptible cells (Hela) was determined, and the ability of non-cytotoxic concentrations to interfere with plaque formation by human rhinovirus (HRV] 1B and 14 and poliovirus (PV) 2 wa s examined. All the tested compounds were weakly effective against PV- 2, while they exhibited a variable degree of activity against HRV-1B a nd -14 infection. Serotype 1B was much more sensitive than 14 to the a ction of the compounds, and the presence of one or more chlorine atoms increased the antiviral effect in all homo-isoflavonoids tested, conf irming the positive influence of this substituent on activity.