Antiviral Effect of Acetone

We present evidence that 1% (v/v) acetone is capable of inhibiting multiplication of vaccinia and rabbitpox viruses in chick embryo fibroblast cell cultures; and when infections with these viruses were treated with both acetone and N-methyl-isatin-β-thiosemicarbazone the extent of inhibition of virus multiplication was much greater than in experiments using each preparation separately.

Addition to agar overlays of acetone in concentration of 1% reduced by 1.3 to 1.5 log. the capacity of vaccinia and rabbitpox viruses to produce plaques in chick embryo fibroblast cultures. ‘Aceton zur Analyse’, DDR, VEB Laborchemie Apolda was used. The virus was adsorbed at 36° for 60 min., then agar overlay containing 1% acetone was added and the vials were immediately stoppered tightly with rubber stoppers. About the same degree of plaque formation by these viruses was observed upon addition to the agar of 1 µg./ml. N-methyl-isatin-β-thiosemicarbazone, which has a known inhibiting effect on the variola group of viruses (Bauer & Sadler, 1961; Appleyard & Way, 1966).