formazans and Keratitis--Herpetic

Stromal keratitis resulting from ocular infection with Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a common cause of blindness. This report investigates the antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of two new synthetic stigmastane analogs in the experimental model of HSV-1-induced ocular disease in mice. (22S,23S)-22,23-dihydroxystigmast-4-en-3-one (1) and (22S,23S)-22,23-dihydroxystigmasta-1,4-dien-3-one (2) exhibited anti-HSV-1 activity in vitro and ameliorated the signs of murine herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK), although none of the compounds showed antiviral activity in vivo. We discuss that the improvement of HSK could be due to an immunomodulatory effect of both compounds.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antiviral Agents; beta-Galactosidase; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Chlorocebus aethiops; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epithelial Cells; Epithelium, Corneal; Formazans; Herpesvirus 1, Human; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Keratitis, Herpetic; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Molecular Structure; Spectrophotometry; Stigmasterol; Tetrazolium Salts; Time Factors; Vero Cells