No antiviral compounds have previously been isolated from A. filicinus. The plant is known to contain steroidal saponins (20, 21) , furostanol glycosides (22) and furostanosides (23, 24) . The phytochemicals possibly responsible for the high activity of C. fastigiata against HSV are not described. Some Cassiope species are reported to contain flavonoid glycosides (25) . Similarly, the compounds responsible for the high anti-influenza viral activity of A. oreoprasum and A. strigilosa are not reported elsewhere.