title: The role of oxygen in the antiviral activity of hypericin and hypocrellin.
abstract: The light-induced antiviral activity of hypericin and hypocrellin in the presence and absence of oxygen was examined under experimental conditions where the effect of oxygen depletion could be quantified. There was a significant reduction of light-induced antiviral activity of hypericin and hypocrellin under hypoxic conditions. Interestingly, antiviral activity of hypocrellin was not observed at low oxygen levels at which hypericin retained measurable virucidal activity. This suggests that additional pathways, such as the generation of protons from excited states of hypericin, may enhance the biological activity of activated oxygen species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames 50011-3111, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: English
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wannemuehler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Petrich
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D006736:Horses; D004860:Infectious Anemia Virus, Equine / Q000187:drug effects*; D008027:Light; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010100:Oxygen; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000528:radiation effects; D019800:Phenol; D010777:Photochemistry; D011809:Quinones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D026082:Singlet Oxygen
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011809:Quinones; D026082:Singlet Oxygen; D019800:Phenol; D010569:Perylene; C004965:hypericin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D010100:Oxygen; C048388:hypocrellin A