Antiviral activity of naphthoquinones: I. Lapachol derivatives against enteroviruses

Some derivatives obtained by chemical transformation of lapachol (a natural substance extracted from the core of plants belonging to the family Bignoniaceae) vere studied as to their posible antiviral action. Cell cultures were treated with those substances and then inoculated with poliovirus type 1, echovirus 19 and Coxsackievirus B type 4. Only ß-lapachone, succinamidyl-ß-norlapachone and intermediary of Hooker have shown a significant viral inhibition index to echovirus type 19. Those derivatives had in in vitro ion but they did not cause any harm to the viral particles studied (virucidal action)