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The Role of Oxygen in the Antiviral Activity of Hypericin and Hypocrellin
Author(s) -
Park Jaehun,
English Doug S.,
Wannemuehler Yvonne,
Carpenter Susan,
Petrich Jacob W.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1998.tb02519.x
Subject(s) - hypericin , oxygen , chemistry , biological activity , reactive oxygen species , photochemistry , biophysics , biochemistry , pharmacology , biology , organic chemistry , in vitro
The light‐induced antiviral activity of hypericin and hypocrellin in the presence and absence of oxygen was examined under experimental conditions where the effect of oxygen depletion could be quantified. There was a significant reduction of light‐induced antiviral activity of hypericin and hypocrellin under hypoxic conditions. Interestingly, antiviral activity of hypocrellin was not observed at low oxygen levels at which hypericin retained measurable virucidal activity. This suggests that additional pathways, such as the generation of protons from excited states of hypericin, may enhance the biological activity of activated oxygen species.