Resveratrol inhibition of varicella-zoster virus replication in vitro.

Resveratrol was found to inhibit varicella-zoster virus (VZV) replication in a dose-dependent and reversible manner. This decrease in virus production in the presence of resveratrol was not caused by direct inactivation of VZV or inhibition of virus attachment to MRC-5 cells. The drug effectively limited VZV replication if added during the first 30 h of infection. Western blot analysis and real-time RT-PCR studies demonstrated that protein and mRNA levels of IE62, an essential immediate early viral protein, were reduced when compared to controls. These results demonstrate that VZV replication is adversely affected by resveratrol which is negatively impacting IE62 synthesis.