Photosensitization is required for inactivation of equine infectious anemia virus by hypericin.
Hypericin, a photoreactive polycyclic quinone, was found to dramatically reduce infectivity of cell-free stocks of equine infectious anemia virus. However, the antiviral activity of hypericin was completely dependent on the presence of light. Short periods of photosensitization resulted in a partial loss of reverse transcriptase activity and complete inhibition of viral infectivity. These results suggest that the photodynamic effect of hypericin interferes with more than one stage in the virus replication cycle.
Carpenter
S
S
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames 50011.
Kraus
G A
GA
D000873:Anthracenes; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003624:Darkness; D004860:Infectious Anemia Virus, Equine / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000873:Anthracenes; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D010569:Perylene; C004965:hypericin