ABSTRACT
The antiviral activity of five diterpenoids isolated from Scoparia dulcis L., Scrophulariaceae, was examined in vitro against herpes simplex virus type 1. Among these compounds, only scopadulcic acid B was found to inhibit the viral replication with the in vitro therapeutic index of 16.7. The action of scopadulcic acid B was not due to a direct virucidal effect or inhibition of virus attachment to host cells. Single-cycle replication experiments indicated that the compound interfered with considerably early events of virus growth. The influence of scopadulcic acid B on the course of the primary corneal herpes simplex virus infection was investigated by means of a hamster test model. When the treatment was initiated immediately after virus inoculation, scopadulcic acid B, when applied orally or intraperitoneally, effectively prolonged both the appearance of herpetic lesions and the survival time at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg per day.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents , Diterpenes/pharmacology , Simplexvirus/drug effects , Animals , Cricetinae , Diterpenes/administration & dosage , Diterpenes/isolation & purification , Female , HeLa Cells , Humans , Keratitis, Dendritic/drug therapy , Mesocricetus , Simplexvirus/classification , Simplexvirus/physiology , Virus Replication/drug effectsABSTRACT
A diagnostic hybridization assay for detecting herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in ocular specimens was developed using cloned viral DNA as a probe. This hybridization assay is based on visualizing a biotinylated probe that is hybridized to the target DNA by a streptavidin/alkaline phosphatase system. The time required for performing this assay system is only two days. This assay system could detect a probe which had been hybridized to as little as 1 pg of homologous DNA and did not cross-react with DNA of other human herpes viruses except that of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) which showed weak cross-reactivity. The assay system was applied to experimental keratitis in albino rabbits and clinical specimens. In experimental keratitis in rabbits it was possible to detect HSV-1 DNA in the eye swab samples at least until the ninth day after virus inoculation. Five clinical specimens collected from patients with corneal ulcer or blepharitis contained HSV-1 DNA in spite of the failure of demonstration of viral antigen and/or virus isolation in two cases.
Subject(s)
DNA, Viral/isolation & purification , Keratitis, Dendritic/microbiology , Simplexvirus/isolation & purification , Animals , Cell Line , Cornea/microbiology , DNA, Viral/genetics , Disease Models, Animal , Humans , Nucleic Acid Hybridization , Rabbits , Simplexvirus/geneticsABSTRACT
With the cooperation of 13 medical institutions in the Tokyo area, the methods to determine the prophylactic effect on postoperative infections in gynecological surgery were evaluated. Two hundred and ninety-nine patients were enrolled for the study of postoperative infections, febrile morbidity and fever index following abdominal (275) and vaginal (24) hysterectomies. Prophylactic cefotiam (CTM) of 1 gram was intravenously administered twice a day postoperatively for 3 to 5 days. The rates of postoperative infections were 5.1% (14/275) in abdominal hysterectomy and 4.2% (1/24) in vaginal hysterectomy. The febrile morbidity (57.1% = 8/14) and fever index (52.3 +/- 41.1 degree hours) in the infection group were approximately about 4 times higher than those (12.3% = 32/261, and 15.6 +/- 13.7 degree hours, respectively) in the non-infection group. No significant differences were observed in age, body weight, height of patients, period of operation and blood loss between these 2 groups. These data suggested that febrile morbidity and fever index were able to indicate the prophylactic effect of antibiotics on patients undergoing abdominal and vaginal hysterectomies.
