An Investigation of the Antiviral Activity of Podophyllum peltatum

Abstract

The antiviral activity of an aqueous extract of Podophyllum peltatum was investigated. The extract was fractionated by reversed-phase chromatography, and podophyllotoxin was found to be the most active component in inhibiting the replication of measles and herpes simplex type I viruses. beta-Peltatin and desoxypodophyllotoxin produced marginal antiviral effects, while alpha-peltatin and picropodophyllotoxin were inactive at the levels tested.