Anti-CMV activity

Flood,J., et al. (1997). Diagnosis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) polyradiculopathy and documentation of in vivo anti-CMV activity in cerebrospinal fluid by using branched DNA signal amplification and antigen assays. J. Infect. Dis. 176,348-352. 

Drug interactions Vitravene is not recommended for use in patients who have recently (2-4 weeks) been treated with either intravenous or intravitreal cidofovir because of the risk of exaggerated ocular inflammation. Results from in vitro tests demonstrated no inhibition of anti-CMV activity of fomivirsen by zidovudine or zalcitabine. 

Intracellular ganciclovir triphosphate concentrations are tenfold higher than those of acyclovir triphosphate and dechne much more slowly with an intracellular of elimination exceeding 24 hours. These differences may account in part for ganciclovir s greater anti-CMV activity and provide the rationale for single daily doses in suppressing human CMV infections. 

The benzimidazole riboside maribavir is under active clinical investigation as an anti-CMV agent. Unlike currently available agents that inhibit CMV DNA polymerase, this agent inhibits viral DNA assembly as well as egress of the viral capsid from the nucleus of infected cells. 

A few reports on anti-CMV compounds of marine origin belonging to other structural types have also been found in the literature. Examples included two plastoquinones isolated from the brown alga Sargassum micracanthum which was found to have potent antiviral activity against human CMV [114], and pseudopterosin P, Fig. (9) from the sea whip Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae [98]. 

PS from terrestrial plants have also been reported as anti-CMV agents. For example, PS from three plant species, Astragalus brachycentrus D. C., Astragalus echidnaeformis Sirjaev and Sterculia urens Roxb., which are devoid of in vitro antiviral activity, were evaluated in mouse models of murine CMV infections [109], Treatment with the compounds needed to be started one day prior to virus inoculation for maximum protective benefit. Treatments starting after virus inoculation were ineffective. The mannose-specific plant PS from the orchid species Cymbidium hybrid Cym., Epipactis helleborine (L) Crantz. and Listera ovata (L.) R.Br. Svenska are potent and selective inhibitors of human CMV in vitro [110], They presumably interact at the level of virion fusion with the target cell. 

Viral retinitis may be caused by herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), adenovirus, and varicella zoster virus. With the highly active antiretroviral therapy (see Chapter 50), CMV retinitis does not appear to progress when specific anti-CMV therapy is discontinued, but some patients develop an immune recovery uveitis. Treatment usually involves long-term parenteral administration of antiviral drugs. Intravitreal administration of ganciclovir has been found to be an effective... 

Another anti-herpes compound is the remarkably simple foscarnet (9.15, phospho-noformate). This is an inorganic pyrophosphate compound that inhibits viral DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase without requiring activation by phosphorylation. Fomivirsen is an oligonucleotide that inhibits human cytomegalovirus (CMV) via an... 

A series of novel acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (819) with various nucleobases in the oo-position and variously substituted in the p-position of alkylphosphonate chain, have been prepared by Hockowa et al. Several derivatives exhibited antiviral activity against HIV and vaccinia virus, HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV and CMV, although the parent unsubstituted derivatives were anti vitally inactive. Adenine as a nucleobase and the p-methyl group attached to the alkylphosphonate chain proved to be a prerequisite to afford pronounced antiviral activity. " ... 

---