title: Geldanamycin is effective in the treatment of herpes simplex virus epithelial keratitis in a rabbit model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the efficacy of geldanamycin eye drops against herpes simplex virus epithelial keratitis in a rabbit model.
  
  
  METHODS
  New Zealand white rabbits were randomized into four groups and infected with herpes simplex virus type 1; geldanamycin topical eye drops was initiated 24 h after the infection and maintained for 12 consecutive days. Four groups of rabbits received 5 µg/mL geldanamycin, 10 µg/mL geldanamycin, 0.1% acyclovir and escipient (a kind of artificial tears), respectively. The severity of herpes simplex virus type 1 epithelial keratitis was measured by slit-lamp and scored for statistics analysis. The virus shedding in eye swabs was isolated, and tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Geldanamycin (10 µg/mL) treatment reduced significantly the severity of herpes simplex virus type 1 epithelial keratitis than the other three groups. Geldanamycin (5 µg/mL) was as effective as acyclovir (0.1%) treatment. The effect of geldanamycin against herpes simplex virus type 1 epithelial keratitis correlated with accelerated clearance of virus of the rabbits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Geldanamycin is a promising treatment option against herpes simplex virus type 1 epithelial keratitis. Geldanamycin (10 µg/mL) is better than acyclovir and geldanamycin (5 µg/mL) in the rabbit model. The optimal concentration of this drug in human is still to be determined.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. wxbich@yahoo.com.cn
authors: Xing
authors: X
authors: Wu
authors: Peizhen
authors: P
authors: Tao
authors: Hongping
authors: H
authors: Nie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D047029:Lactams, Macrocyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011817:Rabbits; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016227:Benzoquinones; D047029:Lactams, Macrocyclic; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C001277:geldanamycin