title: Studies on the antiviral activity of propagermanium with immunostimulating action.
abstract: The effects of propagermanium (3-oxygermylpropionic acid polymer) on various virus-infected mice were investigated. Propagermanium did not inhibit the multiplication of various DNA or RNA viruses in vitro. Oral administration of propagermanium in mice infected with herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) significantly prolonged the mean survival days. The efficacy of propagermanium at doses of 1 and 10 mg/kg daily was 13.4 +/- 2.3 and 14.2 +/- 2.3 mean survival days in comparison with 7.7 +/- 0.5 mean survival days at control group. In vaccinia virus-infected mice, oral doses of propagermanium ranging from 0.2 to 10 mg/kg suppressed the number of pocks on the tail which induced by the virus. Propagermanium (0.5-10 mg/kg) orally given to HSV-1-infected mice induced cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) against HSV-1 antigen. In addition, propagermanium (1-10 mg/kg) enhanced interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) induction in mice treated with Mycobacterium bovis (BCG). In mice spleen cells cultured with Concanavalin A, 0.1 to 10 micrograms/ml of propagermanium stimulated interleukin 2 (IL-2) production. It seems likely that the antiviral activity of propagermanium was exerted via enhancement of host immune resistance against viral infection.
authors.affiliation: Mie Laboratory, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd., Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishiwata
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokochi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tasaka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Usuda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mitani
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005857:Germanium; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011422:Propionates; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D014616:Vaccinia virus
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D005857:Germanium; C066750:propagermanium; D007371:Interferon-gamma