Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Activity of Virazole: 1-β-D-Ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide

Abstract

Virazole is a synthetic nucleoside active in tissue culture against at least 16 DNA and RNA viruses. Applied topically, it inhibits herpetic keratitis in rabbits and tail lesions induced by herpes, vaccinia, and vesicular stomatitis viruses in mice. Injected intraperitoneally into mice, it inhibits splenomegaly and hepatomegaly induced by Friend leukemia virus and respiratory infections caused by influenza A ₀ , A ₂ , and B viruses and parainfluenza 1 virus. Oral or aerosol treatment of parainfluenza virus infections is also effective.