Antiviral properties of a crude extract from a green alga Caulerpa taxifolia (Vahl) C-Agardh

A crude extract of Caulerpa taxifolia was tested for its antiviral activity . The chloroform-methanol residue showed an interesting inhibitor effect in vitro toward the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a valid model for st udying the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This extract reduced the vir us-induced syncytia in the cultured cells, the viral reverse transcriptase activity and the viral capsid protein P24 expression. Copyright (C) 1999 Jo hn Whey & Sons, Ltd.