Antiviral compounds tannins

Lee, K. H. Kashiwada, Y Nonaka, G. Nishioka, I. Nishizawa, M. Yamagishi, T. Bodner, A. J. Kilkuskie, R. E. Cheng, Y. C. Anti-AIDS agents 7. Tannins and related compounds as anti-HIV agents. In Chu, C. K. Cutler, H. G. editors. Natural Products as Antiviral Agents. New York Amer. Chem. Soc. Symposium Series, Plenum Press, 1992, 69-90. 

This evergreen conifer is native to the northern temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America and is also cultivated. In Western folk medicine, among other uses, the berries were considered active against certain types of cancer. The berries contain flavonoids, tannins, a bitter compound called juniperin, and a volatile oil of myriad constituents. In addition to the berries being anti-inflammatory, there is antiviral activity. 

FUKUCHl, K., SAKAGAMI, H., OKUDA, T., HATANO, T., TANUMA, S., KITAJIMA, K., INOUE, Y., INOUE, S., ICHIKAWA, S., NONOYAMA, M., KONNO, K., Inhibition of herpes simplex virus infection by tannins and related compounds. Antiviral Res., 1989, 11, 285-297. 

Nakashima, H., Murakami, T., Yamamoto, N., Sakagami, H., Tanuma, S., Hatano, T., Yoshida, T., and Okuda, T., Inhibition of human immunodeficiency viral replication by tannins and related compounds, Antiviral Res., 18, 91-103,1992. 

After a brief historical introduction and the distinction between hydrolysable and condensed tannins, a description of their chemistry and a short historical review on their use in leather tanning, the more recent developments in tannins for adhesives with and without the use of any aldehyde-yielding compounds, even without the use of any hardeners, are described. Examples of the use of tannins for other industrial, nonleather, applications are reported. In particular, this chapter focuses briefly on their new intended use in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. New data on their antiviral effectiveness against a great number of different viruses compared to their higher, lower or absent cytotoxicity are also presented. 

Cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of compounds in HEL cell cultures. Herpes and Vaccinia viruses. Tannins added after virus administration... 

Toxicity seems to be an important attribute of phenols in plants. Essentially, every phenolic compound has some antimicrobial and antifungal activity (Jenkins et al., 1957 Walker, 1975). Antibiotic, antiviral, anticellular, antineoplastic, and related effects of tannins, mostly in vitroy have been reported by several researchers (Alexander, 1965 Herz and Kaplan, 1968 Kreber and Einhellig, 1972 Konowalchuk and Speirs, 1976 Chan et al., 1978 Loub et al., 1973 DeOliveira et al., 1972). 

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