Virucidal activity of hypericin against enveloped and non-enveloped DNA and RNA viruses.
Hypericin is a polycyclic anthrone first isolated from the plant St. Johnswort and was shown to have dramatic anti-retroviral activity against Friend leukemia virus and radiation leukemia virus in mice. Hypericin displayed marginal activity (IC50 = 6 micrograms/ml) against Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MuLV) in vitro. Hypericin did not display selective antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus, influenza A, adenovirus, or poliovirus. The 50% cytotoxic concentration was approximately 25 micrograms/ml. When virus was incubated with hypericin before infecting cells, the drug was virucidal to all enveloped viruses tested (herpes simplex, influenza virus A, and Mo-MuLV) at concentrations of 1.56 micrograms/ml to 25 micrograms/ml. Hypericin was not virucidal to the non-enveloped viruses tested (adenovirus and poliovirus). These data indicate that the mechanism of viral inactivation for hypericin is dependent upon the presence of a viral lipid envelope. In vivo, hypericin (50 mg/ml) was effective against FLV or HSV-1 if incubated with the virus for 1 h at 37 degrees C before infecting mice, but was not effective if pre-incubated with virus for 1 h at 4 degrees C or if administered concurrently with virus.
Tang
J
J
Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN 46285.
Colacino
J M
JM
Larsen
S H
SH
Spitzer
W
W
D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005622:Friend murine leukemia virus / Q000187:drug effects; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects
D000873:Anthracenes; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D010569:Perylene; C004965:hypericin; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; C056602:pseudohypericin