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In an initial cell-culture experiment, treatment with resveratrol at 20 mcg/mL reduced flu virus replication 90%, and treatment with 40 mcg/mL blocked replication completely. However, because the higher concentration damaged the cells, the lower concentration was used in further tests.
The researchers also tested the effects of starting resveratrol treatment at different intervals after infecting cells with the virus. Treatment was most effective—reducing viral growth 87.5%—when treatment began 3 hours after virus exposure. Effects were lower but still significant when treatment began 6 hours after infection, and treatment had no significant benefit if delayed until 9 hours after infection.
Given these and other findings, the researchers concluded that resveratrol interferes with the manufacture of proteins made late in the viral replication process, such as hemagglutinin, and limits the transport of viral ribonucleoproteins from the cell nucleus to the cytoplasm. The authors also determined that the molecular mechanism for resveratrol's effects has to do with the inhibition of protein kinase C activity and its dependent pathways.