A NEW ANTI-HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS SUBSTANCE, GLYCYRRHIZIN SULFATE; ENDOWMENT OF GLYCYRRHIZIN WITH REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE-INHIBITORY ACTIVITY BY CHEMICAL MODIFICATION

Glycyrrhizin sulfate (GLS) was synthesized and investigated for antiviral effect on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro in comparison with the parental anti-HIV compound glycyrrhizin (GL). In MT-4 cells after HIV infection, the virus-induced cytopathic effect and the expression of viral antigens were inhibited by 0.25mg/ml (0.184 mM) of GLS. Moreover, GLS completely inhibited HIV-induced plaque formation in MT-4 cells at a concentration of 1mg/ml (736μM), the 50% inhibitory dose being 0.055mg/ml (40μM). GLS was found to be an efficient inhibitor of reverse transcriptase. The effect of GLS was 4 times stronger than that of GL in molar terms.