This prompted us to investigate the potential anti-viral activity of a nutrient mixture (NM) and its components on avian influenza virus A/H5N1at viral dosages of 1.0, 0.1 and 0.01 TCID_{50}. Antiviral activity was studied in cultured cell lines PK, BHK-21, and Vero-E6. Virus lysing activity was determined by co-incubation of virus A/H5N1 with NM for 0–60 min, followed residual virulence titration in cultured SPEV or BHK-21 cells. NM demonstrated high antiviral activity evident even at prolonged periods after infection. NM antiviral properties were comparable to those of conventional drugs (amantadine and oseltamivir); however, NM had the advantage of affecting viral replication at the late stages of the infection process.
P.G. Deryabin, D.K. Lvov, A.G. Botikov, V. Ivanov, T. Kalinovsky, A. Niedzwiecki, M. Rath Biofactors 2008, 33(2): 85-97
Abstract: Numerous outbreaks of avian influenza virus infection (A/H5N1) have occurred recently, infecting domestic birds, chicken and ducks. The possibility of the emergence of a new strain of influenza virus capable of causing a pandemic in humans is high and no vaccine effective against such a strain currently exists. A unique nutrient mixture (NM), containing lysine, proline, ascorbic acid, green tea extract, N-acetyl cysteine, selenium among other micro nutrients, has been shown to exert a wide range of biochemical and pharmacological effects, including an inhibitory effect on replication of influenza virus and HIV.