Ribavirin acts via multiple pathways in inhibition of leukemic cell proliferation.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the anticancer activity of Ribavirin, an antiviral drug and a known inhibitor of inositide-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase.Using human cancer cell lines, the potential of the drug to inhibit growth and induce the apoptotic and differentiation pathways was investigated by cytological methods. The effect exerted upon gene expression was studied in K562 cells by Q-PCR.Treatment with Ribavirin resulted in a...