Abstract: Natural micromolecules are important active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine,medicinal plants and natural medicines,which are also an important research field and content of studies on the resources of medicinal plant.For most antiviral plants,such as Prunella vulgaris, Astragalus membranaceus and Scutellaria baicalensis, the active ingredients are natural micromolecules.Antiviral cytokines are a diverse group of small functional proteins (or peptides) which can active innate and specific immunity response,inhibit or kill virus in the body.Recently research indicates that polyphenols,glycosides and oligosaccharide from plants is concerned with antiviral cytokine modulation,and then act on DNA or RNA viruses:On one side,inducing the production of antiviral protein direct act on the virus;On the other side,they regulate the immune system to inhibit viral replication,resistance to virus infection and clear the infected cells.This paper reviewed researches on the effects and mechanisms of natural micromolecule inducing antiviral cytokines in recent years,and proposed that the natural micromolecule could become one kind of potential new antiviral medicine.

Key words: antivial traditional Chinese medicine, antiviral cytokines, natural micromolecule, mechanisms