Use of acetylsalicylic acid for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of influenza virus infection

The use of active agents (A) which inhibit a component of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB) signal transduction pathway, in such a way that viral replication is inhibited, is claimed in the production of pharmaceutical compositions for treating and/or preventing viral diseases. Independent claims are included for: (1) combination of preparations comprising at least two antiviral active agents, at least one of which is an agent (A), in the form of a mixture or separate components (for administration at the same or different times and/or locations); (2) a test system for screening for agents which act on component(s) of the NF-kB signal transduction pathway to inhibit viral replication, comprising: (a) cells which can be infected by virus(es) and contain the pathway and viruses which can infect the cells; or (b) cells which are infected by virus(es) and overexpress the pathway; (3) a screening method using the system, involving contacting test compound(s) with the system, assessing the results and selecting the compound(s) showing antiviral activity; and (4) the production of antiviral medicaments by incorporating active agents identified by the screening method in a suitable formulation. ACTIVITY : Virucide. In tests in C57 BI/6mice nasally infected with fowl plague virus, intranasal administration of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as an aerosol at a non-toxic concentration of 2 mM reduced infection by ca. 40% and also markedly increased the survival time (no quantitative results given). MECHANISM OF ACTION : Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB) signal transduction pathway inhibitor. Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft die Verwendung bevorzugt mindestens einer Wirksubstanz zur Prophylaxe und/oder Therapie einer Viruserkrankung, wobei diese Wirksubstanz mindestens eine Komponente des zellulären Signalübertragungsweges zur Aktivierung des Transkriptionsfaktors NF-kB derart hemmt, dass die Virusvermehrung gehemmt wird. Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft des weiteren die lokale, bevorzugt die aerogene Verabreichung des erfindungsgemässen Wirkstoffes zur Hemmung einer Virusvermehrung. Die erfindungsgemässe Wirksubstanz kann mit mindestens einer weiteren antiviral wirksamen Substanz zur Prophylaxe und/oder Therapie einer Viruserkrankung kombiniert werden.