In this study, umesu phenolics were purified from the salt extracts of Japanese apricot (Nanko-mume cultivar of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.). Characterization of umesu phenolics revealed that, when added to the culture media of the infected cells, they inhibited the multiplication of influenza and many other RNA and DNA viruses. In addition to these antiviral activities, the phenolics significantly decreased the plating efficiency of influenza virus, if present in the virus inoculum. More drastic effects were observed in terms of virucidal activity; the infectivity of several strains of influenza viruses decreased less than 0.001 when they were incubated with 4 mg/ml phenolics at 30 ℃ for 5 min. The virucidal activity of phenolics was found to be more remarkable in acidic conditions; however, the activity was not merely a result of the acidity of the phenolics. These results clearly support the antiviral and virucidal activities of the umesu phenolics against influenza viruses and suggest their potential pharmacological usefulness as disinfectants or preventive medicine against superficial infections, such as the respiratory infections.
Keywords: Prunus mume; antiviral; influenza virus; phenolics; virucidal.