Antiviral compounds polyacetylenes

About seven hundred polyacetylenes have been isolated so far mainly from plants belonging to the family of Asteraceae, Umbelliferae and Campanulaceae [11]. Polyacetylenes occur principally as straight chain polyines, allenes, phenyl, thiophenyl, thioether and spiroketal-enoether derivatives in a quite high yield. Thiophenes and related sulfur compounds are usually grouped together with die polyacetylenes because of their common biosynthetic pathways [11]. Few plant-derived lactones, butenolides and phospholipids show antiviral activity. The antiviral activities of thiophenes, polyacetylenes, lactones, butenolides and phospholipids from plant origin are reported in table 8. 

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