Detection of antiviral and antitumoral fractions of Chenopodium amaranticolor leaf extract.

Based on the fact that Chenopodium amaranticolor extracts showed inhibitory activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Ehrlich tumour (EA), tests were carried out to investigate whether the antiviral and antitumoral activity were caused by the same compounds. When the extract was purified by CM Sephadex C-25 column, after precipitation with 90% ammonium sulphate, twenty active fractions against TMV and two pools of fractions active against EA were obtained. Only one fraction with high absorbance values at 260 and 280 nm was able to inhibit both TMV and EA. When the extract was purified by Bio Gel P-60 column two active fractions against TMV and EA were obtained, suggesting that they were contained in the 0.01 M fraction of the CM Sephadex column. It is suggested that C. amaranticolor leaf extract contained at least two protein-like substances manifesting antiviral and antitumoral activity.