Moroxydine: the story of a mislaid antiviral

A review is presented which began as a literature survey listing verbatim over fifty abstracts and references to the use of moroxydine in the treatment of a number of viral disorders throughout Europe and Scandinavia between 1960 and 1985. The list was first circulated in 1990 and was revised six times as new information became available. The sources are unusual in their diversity and originally appeared in several other languages besides English. Moroxydine may be effective against a number of DNA and RNA viruses, influenza being the original application of the substance when it emerged in the late 1950's. The drug received some attention around 1960, and the introduction of thalidomide at around the same time (1961) is one likely explanation for its current obscurity. Side-effects are reported to be mild and infrequent, and evidence exists that the substance possesses other characteristics which plead for further investigation.