Anti-influenza A virus activity of amantadine hydrochloride and rimantadine hydrochloride in ferret tracheal ciliated epithelium

Abstract

The activities and toxicities of amantadine hydrochloride and rimantadine hydrochloride against influenza A/Alaska/6/77 (H3N2) and A/Bangkok/l/79 (H3N2) viruses were compared in organ cultures of ferret tracheal ciliated epithelium. Pretreatment of cultures with concentrations (0.5 and 1 ,ug/ml) comparable to those found in human serum after oral administration of amantadine revealed that rimantadine produced significantly longer protection than amantadine against virus-induced cytopathic effects. Correspondingly, rimantadine produced a comparable protective effect at four-to eight-fold-lower concentrations than amantadine. Both drugs produced increasing and similar effects at higher concentrations, which were comparable to those reported in nasal washings after aerosol administration of amantadine. At the concentrations tested, amantadine was nontoxic. However, at concentrations of 16 and 32 ,ug/ml, rimantadine was toxic to the ciliated epithelium after 10 to 21 days of continuous exposure. When the drugs were added 24 h or more after infection, protection against cytopathic effects decreased markedly. Both drugs moderately suppressed virus production at concentrations of 0.5 to 16 ,ug/ml. However, no dose response or difference between the drugs was observed. Because of comparable antiviral activity at lower concentrations and greater activity at similar concentrations, rimantadine may be more useful than amantadine for oral prophylaxis and therapy of influenza.

Inhibition of hepatitis A virus replication in vitro by antiviral compounds

“…Ribavirin, amantadine, glycyrrhizin, and pyrazofurin have been reported previously to inhibit the replication of other viruses [Sidwell et al, 1972;Hall et al, 1983;Burlington et al, 1982;Pompei et al, 1979;Ito et al, 1987;Descamps et De Clercq, 1978;Kawana et al, 19871. Based on the present findings, these compounds are attractive candidates as anti-HAV drugs and should be evaluated for therapeutic activity against hepatitis A virus infection.…”

A Critical Review of Disinfection Processes to Control SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in the Food Industry

“…The initial viral concentration is also highly variable among studies, ranging from 10 5 [ 52 ] to 10 8 [ 15 ], and sometimes it is even omitted. This concentration is important since the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) may change with the number of organisms inoculated for different viruses, the so-called inoculum effect [ 53 , 54 , 55 ]. From the author’s knowledge, only one work has tested the virucidal activity of chemicals to SARS-CoV-2 using the international standards for disinfection on surfaces (ASTM E1052-20) and suspension (EN 14476:2013) [ 56 ].…”

The Laboratory Selection of Antiviral Agents

“…20 A comparison of the two compounds in ferret tracheal ciliated epithelium infected with influenza indicates that in this test system rimantadine is 2-8 times more effective than amantadine. 21 A recent clinical trial comparison 22 involved their use as prophylactics in 450 volunteers during a naturally occurring epidemic of influenza (mainly H,N! with a little H 3 N 2 ).…”