Antiviral Properties of Thiarubrine-A, a Naturally Occurring Polyine

Abstract

The naturally occurring polyine, thiarubrine-A, was evaluated for its antiviral properties in the presence and absence of long wave UV radiation (UV-A). Four viruses and a mammalian cell line were used as targets. The two mammalian viruses, murine cytomegalovirus and Sindbis virus, both of which possess membranes, were extremely sensitive to the compound, but only in the presence of UV-A radiation. The bacteriophage T4 was slightly affected in UV-A only, whereas the bacteriophage M13 was completely unaffected. Thus thiarubrine A is photoactive against membrane containing viruses. In contrast mouse cells were moderately sensitive to the compound in the presence of UV-A, and somewhat less sensitive in the dark. Thus thiarubrine-A exhibits different activities against different organisms.