Viral infections

Study of the natural Aronia melanocarpa juice for anti-viral activity.
 V. Russev, S. Valcheva-Kuzmanova, A. Belcheva.Pharmacology Section,
 Department of Preclinical and Clinical Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Varna Medical University, Varna, Bulgaria
Department of Microbiology and Virology, Varna Medical University, Varna, Bulgaria 

The natural juice from Aronia melanocarpa fruit is rich in polyphenols most of which are flavonoids (mainly anthocyanins) and tannins. These products and other natural compounds isolated from plants are recently evaluated for their anti-infectious activity. Certain perspectives for finding new active antiviral factors are promising. 
The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of Aronia melanocarpa natural juice on the reproduction in ovo of Influenza virus type A (H3N2). A concentration of 2 000 mg%/100 ml, with initial pH 3.76, is used for the experimental trial. Further in the experiments we apply pH 7.00 to pH 7.50, which corresponds to normal human pH. 
The results show that the Aronia juice, with concentration and pH, as indicated before, inhibits the reproduction of Influenza virus in its initial stages. The effect most probably is due to the formation of complex compounds between the virion, from one hand, and the flavonoids and tannins, from the other hand. The authors presume that this result influences the adsorption of Influenza virus on the cell surface.