Anti-influenza virus activity of synthetically polymerized phenylpropenoids

Various dehydrogenation polymers (the so-called synthetic lignins) were synthesized from four different phenylpropenoids by endwise and bulk polymerizations and investigated for their anti-influenza virus activity. All of these materials suppressed the plaque formation of influenza virus infecting MDCK cells and the RNA-dependent RNA synthesis as effectively as the high molecular weight lignin-related extract (Fr. VI) of pine cone of Pinus parviflora Sieb. et Zucc. The structural simplicity and higher solubility of the synthesized polymers suggest that they might be regarded as potential candidates for medicinal antiviral resources.