RESUMO
A new class of polyanionic compounds, inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus, was obtained from radical addition of mercapto acid or mercapto ester on a perallylated carbohydrate under UV irradiation with a catalytic amount of AIBN. Unlike the polyanions that we have previously prepared by polymerization reactions, the compounds are structurally well defined. Polyanions bearing 16 carboxylate groups showed a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.1-4.1 micrograms/mL against HIV-1 in MT-4 cells while not being toxic to the host cells at concentrations up to 125 micrograms/mL. The most potent polyanions also proved active against human cytomegalovirus at concentrations of 1-14 micrograms/mL. No activity was observed against any of the other viruses tested (i.e., herpes simplex virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, Sindbis, Semliki forest, parainfluenza-3, Junin, Tacaribe, Coxsackie B4, polio-1, reo-1, or vaccinia virus).