Substance P, a neuropeptide, inhibits measles virus replication in cell culture.

Substance P, a neuropeptide of the tachykinin group, inhibits measles virus replication in cell culture and partially blocks viral fusion activity assayed in the haemolysis system. The ID50 for the inhibition of measles virus single-cycle replication is 0.6 mumol/l, and the effect is fully reversible. The antiviral activity of substance P corresponds to that of previously described synthetic tri-to heptapeptides. Tachykinins and these oligopeptides share a short homology with the N-terminus of paramyxovirus fusion proteins.