[Mechanism of action of remantadine hydrochloride on Sindbis virus reproduction: inhibition of virus penetration into the cell].

The effect of rimantadine and ammonium chloride on the RNA synthesis of Sindbis virus, added in different times of infection cycle, was studied. When compounds were presented in period of adsorption and first hour post-infection, the maximal inhibitory effect was found. The step blocked by rimantadine was identified as uncoating process (deprotainization). This connection was confirmed by the finding that rimantadine markedly reduced the change of the virus RNA into the nuclease-sensitive form.