A throat lozenge containing amyl meta cresol and dichlorobenzyl alcohol has a direct virucidal effect on respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and SARS-CoV.

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Oxford JS, Lambkin R, Gibb I, Balasingam S, Chan C, Catchpole A

A throat lozenge containing amyl meta cresol and dichlorobenzyl alcohol has a direct virucidal effect on respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and SARS-CoV.

Antivir Chem Chemother. 2005;16(2):129-34. doi: 10.1177/095632020501600205.

PubMed ID
15889535 [ View in PubMed
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Abstract

A potent virucidal mixture containing amyl metacresol and dichlorobenzyl alcohol at low pH inactivated enveloped respiratory viruses influenza A, respiratory synctial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) but not viruses with icosahedral symmetry, such as adenoviruses or rhinoviruses. A titre of approximately 3.5 log10 TCID50 was reduced to below the level of detection within two minutes. Electron microscopy of purified influenza A virus showed extensive clumping and morphological changes in spike configuration after contact with the virucidal mixture, but no overt destruction of the viral membrane. We conclude that, formulated as a lozenge, the mixture could have significant effects in reducing the infectivity of certain infectious viruses in the throat and presumably in cough droplets, thus reducing, theoretically, opportunities for person-to-person transmission.

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