[Action of emetine hydrochloride in some experimental viral infections].

The Authors tested the virulicidal effect of emetine hydrochloride (EH) observed by Fusillo in clinical practice. By adding EH to HE p-2 cellular system, in a concentration such as to cause some inhibition of cellular growth, there is no meaningfull virostatic or virulicidal action against poliovirus, Mahoney's strain. EH, in the same proportion as that employed by Fusillo in human therapy, damages in the albino mouse liver. By halving the concentration of EH such a damage is not evident but no beneficial effect on the pattern of the subacute hepatitis, caused by 5 LD50 of MHV3 ensues.