Interferon inducer, a process for producing the same and pharmaceutical composition containing the same

摘要

An interferon inducer isolated from the plant tissue, having an elemental analysis of H:7.4.+-.0.4%, C: 45.6.+-.0.4%, N: 13.5.+-.0.4%, P: 2.8.+-.0.3% and a molecular weight of from about 100,000 to about 3, 000, 000 (mainly about 200,000 to about 1,000,000) and containing as main chemical constituents amino acids and phosporic acid. This substance is believed to be a homogeneous polymer of protein and phosphoric acid. PPThis substance has an excellent interferon inducing activity and low toxicity and is significantly active upon various viruses. This interferon inducer may be produced by extracting a substance having interferon inducing activity from the tissue of a plant of the genus Artemisia of the family Compositae or a variant thereof containing the said active substance with water and recovering the active substance from the extracted solution. The recovery may preferably be effected by ultrafiltration. Pharmaceutical composition of this invention comprises as active ingredient the said active substance in association with a pharmaceutical carrier or excipient.