Resveratrol, a chemical found in red grapes, blocks replication of the influenza virus in cell culture and in animals, Italian researchers report.
'Resveratrol merits further investigation as a potential weapon for combating the growing threat of influenza,' Dr. Anna Teresa Palamara of the Institute of Microbiology in Rome and colleagues conclude.
In cell culture experiments, resveratrol prevented influenza from replicating.
Resveratrol treatment had the greatest effect when administered 3 hours after exposure to influenza. Smaller but significant effects were seen when treatment began 6 hours after infection, but at 9 hours after infection resveratrol treatment had no effect. Pre-treatment also did not change susceptibility to infection.
Resveratrol may have anti-flu activity
