Ribavirin is the most commonly used antiviral for treating SARS infection, used in combination with anti-inflammatory steroids, although no definitive treatment has been identified for SARS-associated coronavirus infection.
Jindrich Cinatl and colleagues from Frankfurt University Medical School, Germany, assessed the antiviral potential of five drugs-ribavirin, 6-azauridine, pyrazofurin, mycophenolic acid, and glycyrrhizin-against two isolates of the SARS coronavirus from patients with SARS admitted to the clinical centre of Frankfurt University, Germany.
Glycyrrhizin (an antiviral agent with proven efficacy in treating HIV-1 and hepatitis C infection) was the most active antiviral in inhibiting replication of the virus, as a result of increased nitric oxide synthesis. The investigators comment that their findings 'suggest that glycyrrhizin should be assessed for treatment of SARS.'
Contact: Professor Jindrich Cinatl, Institute of Medical Virology, Frankfurt University Medical School, Paul-Ehrlich Str 40, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany;
T) 49-696-301-6409;
E) cinatl@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Or Professor Prakash Chandra,
T) 49-696-301-6928;
E) chandra@zbc.kgu.de
The Lancet