Based on their action in cell culture, two biotypes of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) can be distinguished. The noncytopathic (ncp) BVDV isolated from persistently infected animals cause no visible damage to cultured bovine cells. In contrast, cytopathic (cp) BVDV induces severe damage and apoptosis in cell cultures. Cp BVDV can be isolated from cattle suffering from mucosal disease (MD) and is associated with the severe lesions that primarily affect the gastrointestinal tract. To get an insight into the molecular events during BVDV induced cytopathic effect (CPE), the effect of three chemical reagents (3-aminobenzamide, ascorbic acid and N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-methional) with completely different mode of actions in infected cells was analysed. All three substances were able to delay the cytopathic effect induced in permissive bovine cells.