Lignosulfonate, a water-solubilized lignin from the waste liquor of the pulping process, inhibits the infectivity and cytopathic effects of human immunodeficiency virus in vitro.

Lignosulfonate (LS), a water-solubilized lignin obtained from the waste liquor of the pulping process of woods, has antiviral activity against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. LS completely inhibited the HIV-induced cytopathic effect, the HIV-specific antigen expression, and syncytia formation at the concentrations of ≥ 50μg/ml. Furthermore, LS inhibited the reverse transcriptase activity in a cell-free system. A sugar-eliminated LS (LS-KL) also had the same antiviral activities.