Efficacy of Cafon gel on cutaneous infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 and acyclovir-resistant HSV in mice.
Caffeine is known to inhibit replication of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and the therapeutic efficacy of caffeine (Cafon) gel has been shown in a mouse model cutaneously infected with HSV-1. In this study we examined the inhibitory effect of caffeine on infection with HSV-2 and acyclovir-resistant HSV-1 strains, thymidine kinase (TK)-deficient and phosphonoacetic acid (PAA)-resistant HSV-1 in vitro and in vivo. Caffeine inhibited plaque formation of HSV-2 and acyclovir-resistant HSV-1 strains and their EC50 values ranged from 0.42 to 1.11 mg/ml. Topical treatment with Cafon gel was significantly effective in retarding the development of skin lesions caused by cutaneous infection with HSV-2 and PAA-resistant HSV-1 and in reducing the virus yield of the skin infected with TK-deficient HSV-1. The results suggested that Cafon gel would be useful for the topical treatment of cutaneous infection with HSV-2 and acyclovir-resistant HSV strains.
Yoshida
Y
Y
Department of Virology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Yamamura
J
J
Sato
H
H
Koyasu
M
M
Obara
Y
Y
Sekiguchi
H
H
Kawana
T
T
Shiraki
K
K
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D002110:Caffeine; D000212:Acyclovir