Effect of Methodrine on Japanese B Encephalitis Virus

Abstract

Pharmacology and antiviral property of Methodrine found at the author's Institutehave been described.
1: Pharmacological action.
Methodrine is rather of low toxicity and does not show remarkable influences on blood pressure, respiration, heart and intestine-movement, and moreover, it does not exert so strongly the C. N. S. stimulating action, hemolytic action, anti-acetylcholine, anti-histamine and anti-barium chloride actions.
2: Effect on Japanese B Encephalitis in mice
After the intraperitone'al inoculation of the Nakayama strain Methodrine was injected intravenously into mice as a single dose, then these mice were observed daily for 2 weeks. x² calculated from the survival ratio of both the control and the treated group showed a significant value.
3: Effect on the growth of Japanese B Encephalitis in the HeLa. The FIeLa-JapB system was used in the tissue culture experiments. When the Y. L. A. medium added with 5% ox serum was used for the maintenace medium, the inoculum size of Japanese B Encephalitis virus was 10^-4. Methodrine inhibits the growth of 10-3 of the Nakayama strain in the HeLa. It, however, does not possess any direct viral inactivating action on the virus.
From the above results, it may be suggested that methodrine shows an inhibitory effect on the growth of Japanese B Encephalitis virus in the intracellular site, and it should be a milestone to find an antiviral drug on the disease.