The anti-viral effects of Hinokitiol arise from its action as a zinc ionophore. Hinokitiol enables the influx of zinc ions into cells, which inhibit the replication machinery of RNA viruses, and subsequently inhibiting the replication of the virus.[11] Some notable RNA viruses include the human influenza virus, SARS, and the novel coronavirus.[14] A study tested he efficacy of zinc ions with a zinc ionophore on inhibiting SARS replication, another coronavirus which shares many similarities with the novel coronavirus. It found that zinc ions were able to significantly inhibit viral replication within cells, and proved that the action was dependent on zinc influx.