Inhibition of Influenza Virus Multiplication by 2,5-Dimethylbenzimidazole *

It can be postulated that the striking biological specificity shown by viruses is determined by or associated with certain specific nucleoproteins contained in the viral particle. If this be true, then it might be possible to inhibit viral multiplication without interfering with the function of host cell nucleoproteins, provided that sufficiently selective means were available. Such means are not available as yet and exploration of the nucleoprotein metabolism of virus infected host cells appears important. Studies of this kind have been undertaken with bacterial cells infected with bacterial viruses'" but it has not been feasible to conduct similar investigations on infected animal host cells. Such studies should result in the acquisition of knowledge which might indicate new approaches to the problem of selective viral inhibition and increase understanding of the nature and mechanisms of the biological specificity exhibited by viruses. The use of benzimidazole derivatives in such an investigation appeared fruitful. Vitamin B12 is known' to contain a benzimidazole moiety, i.e., 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (I) .2'