Polysaccharides and antiviral drugs containing the same as active ingredient.

摘要

A polysaccharide, useful as an antiviral and particularly an antiretroviral agent and obtainable from marine algae such as seaweeds, has the following properties: (a) (i) positive results when subjected to the alpha -naphthol-sulfuric acid, indole-sulfuric acid anthrone-sulfuric acid or phenol-sulfuric acid reaction, or (ii) positive results when subjected to the alpha -naphthol-sulfuric acid, indole-sulfuric acid, anthrone-sulfuric acid or phenol-sulfuric acid reaction and, after hydrochloric acid hydrolysis, the Lowry-Folin process or ninhydrin reaction; (b) elementary analysis: 20 - 55% carbon, 3 - 9% hydrogen and less than 16% nitrogen; (c) a pH of 6.0 - 7.5; (d) the sugar component comprises at least two kinds of saccharide selected from glucose, glucuronic acid, xylose and mannose and the protein component, when present, comprises at least three kinds of amino acid selected from aspartic acid, lysine, leucine, glutamic acid and glycine; (e) infrared absorption spectrum peaks at (i) 3600 - 3200 cm<-><1> or (ii) 3600 - 3200 cm<-><1> and 1700 - 1600 cm<-><1>; (f) a molecular weight of 10<3> - 3 x 10<6> as measured by gel filtration chromatography; and (g) soluble in water and aqueous solvents containing water-soluble alcohols, acids or bases but insoluble in chloroform, benzene and ether. n