Arbidol: a broad-spectrum antiviral that inhibits acute and chronic HCV infection

• Main Authors: Pécheur Eve-Isabelle, Boriskin Yury S, Polyak Stephen J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2006-07-01
• Series: Virology Journal
• Online Access: http://www.virologyj.com/content/3/1/56

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Arbidol (ARB) is an antiviral compound that was originally proven effective for treatment of influenza and several other respiratory viral infections. The broad spectrum of ARB anti-viral activity led us to evaluate its effect on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and replication in cell culture. Long-term ARB treatment of Huh7 cells chronically replicating a genomic length genotype 1b replicon resulted in sustained reduction of viral RNA and protein expression, and eventually cured HCV infected cells. Pre-treatment of human hepatoma Huh7.5.1 cells with 15 μM ARB for 24 to 48 hours inhibited acute infection with JFH-1 virus by up to 1000-fold. The inhibitory effect of ARB on HCV was not due to generalized cytotoxicity, nor to augmentation of IFN antiviral signaling pathways, but involved impaired virus-mediated membrane fusion. ARB's affinity for membranes may inhibit several aspects of the HCV lifecycle that are membrane-dependent.</p>