Lectins and antiretroviral drugs containing the lectins as active ingredients.

摘要

A lectin, useful as an antiretroviral agent and obtainable from a dicotyledonous plant, 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 and, after hydrochloric acid hydrolysis, the Lowry-Folin process or ninhydrin reaction; or (ii) positive results when subjected after hydrochloric acid hydrolysis to the Lowry-Folin process or ninhydrin reaction; (b) elementary analysis: 20-55% carbon, 3-9% hydrogen and 0.1-16% nitrogen; (c) a pH of 6.0-7.0; (d) the sugar component, when present, comprises at least glucose and N-acetylglucosamine and the protein component comprises at least glutamic acid, aspartic acid and lysine; (e) infrared absorption spectrum peaks at (i) 3600-3200 cm<-><1> and 1700-1600 cm<-><1> or (ii) 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 solvent, and insoluble in chloroform, benzene and ether. l