ANTIVIRAL SULFATED STEROIDS FROM THE OPHIUROID OPHIOPLOCUS-JANUARII

One new and three known sulfated steroidal polyols have been isolated from the ophiuroid Ophioplocus januarii, collected at San Antonio Oest e, Rio Negro, Argentina. The four compounds possess 4 alpha,11 beta-di hydroxy-3 alpha,21-disulfoxy substituents and the A/B cis ring junctio n but differ in the side chain. The new compound has been characterize d as (22E)-5 beta-24-norcholest-22-ene-3 alpha,4 alpha,11 beta,21-tetr ol 3,21-disulfate (4). The structures of the four compounds were deter mined from spectral data and comparison with those of related steroida l polyols. The four compounds were tested for their inhibitory effect on the replication of one DNA and three RNA viruses. Compounds 2 and 4 were active against respiratory syncytial and polio viruses, and comp ound 3 inhibited Junin virus, responsible for Argentine hemorrhagic fe ver.