ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF THE MELANIN FROM BIRCH FUNGUS (INONOTUS OBLIQUUS) OBTAINED BY CUL-TIVATING F-1244 STRAIN ISOLATING TO PURE CULTURE

The aim of the work was a comparative study of the antiviral activity of the melanin isolated from submerged culture of basidiomycete birch fungus Inonotus obliquus F-1244 and melanin obtained from natural birch fungus. We showed that the melanin isolated from cultivated birch fungus is similar to the melanin from natural birch fungus in respect of its physicochemical and antiviral properties. Although, the sample`s activity depended not only on the source of melanin, but also on the method of isolating and purification. The toxic dose (CD50) varied from 300 to 2500 µg/ml. The effective antiviral dose in the case of A/H1N1pdm09 (ID50) was one from 10 to 47 µg/ml. The highest therapeutic index was for the melanin of the cultivated birch fungus, purified by dialysis. The index made 160; it is higher in 2, 5 times in comparison with natural birch fungus. The melanin from cultivated birch fungus is a promising substance for the developing of naturally occurring medication.