METHOD FOR PREVENTING AND TREATING A VIRAL CONDITION BY INHIBITING MEMBRANE FUSION

摘要

A method of preventing and treating a viral condition caused by an enveloped virus is described, comprising using a therapeutically effective amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of a substituted hydroquinone and the corresponding benzoquinone, wherein said hydroquinone comprises a 2-R1, 3-R2-1,4-hydroquinone where at least one of R1 and R2 include a carbon linkage to the benzene ring of the hydroquinone. Particularly useful compounds include 5,8-dihydro-5,8-methano-1,4-naphthalenediol, 1,4-naphthoquinone, 3',6'-dihydroxybenzonorbornane, (tert)-butylhydroquinone, other diols, e.g. 1,5-naphthalenediol, and alkylated diols, e.g. 4-methoxy-1-naphthol. The viral condition may be caused by a virus from a family of Togaviridae, Flaviviridae, Coronaviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Filoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Bunyaviridae, Arenaviridae, Retroviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Herpesviridae, Poxviridae and Iridoviridae. Conditions which can be treated using the present method include rubella, yellow fever, rabies, influenza, Korean hemorrhagic fever, common colds, respiratory syncytial virus, measles, mumps, HIV, hepatitis B, Herpes simplex, CMV, chicken pox, smallpox, Marburg virus, Lassa fever and African swine fever.