The Antiviral Drug Arbidol Inhibits Zika Virus.

Article Details

Citation
Copy to clipboard

Fink SL, Vojtech L, Wagoner J, Slivinski NSJ, Jackson KJ, Wang R, Khadka S, Luthra P, Basler CF, Polyak SJ

The Antiviral Drug Arbidol Inhibits Zika Virus.

Sci Rep. 2018 Jun 12;8(1):8989. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-27224-4.

PubMed ID
29895962 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

There are many emerging and re-emerging globally prevalent viruses for which there are no licensed vaccines or antiviral medicines. Arbidol (ARB, umifenovir), used clinically for decades in several countries as an anti-influenza virus drug, inhibits many other viruses. In the current study, we show that ARB inhibits six different isolates of Zika virus (ZIKV), including African and Asian lineage viruses in multiple cell lines and primary human vaginal and cervical epithelial cells. ARB protects against ZIKV-induced cytopathic effects. Time of addition studies indicate that ARB is most effective at suppressing ZIKV when added to cells prior to infection. Moreover, ARB inhibits pseudoviruses expressing the ZIKV Envelope glycoprotein. Thus, ARB, a broadly acting anti-viral agent with a well-established safety profile, inhibits ZIKV, likely by blocking viral entry.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drugs