Antiherpetic activity of S1, an algal derived sulfated galactan

CARLOS A. PUJOL; MARÍA I. ERREA; MARÍA C. MATULEWICZ; ELSA B. DAMONTE

PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH

John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Lugar: Chichester, Gran Bretaña; Año: 1996 vol. 10 p. 410 - 413

0951-418X

The sulphated galactan S1 isolated from the red seaweed Pterocladia capillacea proved to be a selective antiviral compound against herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), human cytomegalovirus and pseudorabies virus. No cytotoxicity was observed with S1 at concentrations about 500 ìg/mL that were in excess of the IC50 values (range from 3.2 to 12.0 ìg/mL for the different herpesviruses assayed). The antiherpetic action of S1 was independent of the host cell and the antiviral assay. The kinetics of infectious virus adsorption to the host cell was highly inhibited in the presence of S1 whereas the subsequent stage of virus penetration was not affected. The binding of radiolabelled HSV-1 particles was inhibited in a dose dependent manner confirming that the mode of action of S1 could be attributable to an inhibition of initial virus attachment to the host cell.