title: Characterization of oxyphenarsine as a potential antiviral agent for AIDS.
abstract: The historical antisyphilis drug oxyphenarsine has been tested for antiviral activity and for cytotoxicity to characterize it as a potential therapy for treatment of HIV infections. These data show that the compound demonstrates marginal antiviral activity against the HTLV-IIIB strain of HIV-1, two clinical isolates of HIV-1 (one sensitive to AZT and one resistant), and the MS strain of HIV-2. However, treatment with concentrations of oxyphenarsine showing optimal anti-HIV activity resulted in significant cytotoxicity. The drug's selectivity index was not significantly improved when tested against H9 cells chronically infected with the HTLV-IIIB strain of HIV-1. Thus, despite a previous report suggesting significant antiviral activity and low cytotoxicity for oxyphenarsine, the data presented here do not provide support for further development of this drug as an anti-HIV agent.
authors.affiliation: Life Sciences Research Dept., I.I.T. Research Institute, Chicago, IL 60616.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Buthod
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kowal
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Antonucci
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001152:Arsenicals; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; C100059:oxophenarsine