Antiviral activity of tobacco smoke condensate on encephalomyocarditis infection in mice.

A water-soluble nontumorigenic acidic fraction of tobacco smoke condensate of cigarettes has been found to have antiviral activity against encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus infection in mice. The portion of lower molecular weight was inhibitory to the growth of EMC virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, reovirus type 2, vaccinia virus, and poliovirus type 2, but not against adenovirus type 12, in KB cell cultures. The cigarette smoke agent did not induce serum interferon although it protected mice from EMC disease by pretreatment.