ACTIVITY OF N-CHLOROTAURINE AGAINST HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS AND ADENOVIRUSES

N-chlorotaurine, an essential weak oxidant produced by stimulated huma n leukocytes, is known to have bactericidal, fungicidal and vermicidal properties. This study for the first time demonstrates its virucidal activity. By viral suspension tests at incubation times between 5 and 60 min, virus liters of both Herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 were re duced about 1.3-2.9 log(10) and 2.8-4.2 log(10) by 0.1 and 1% (5.5 and 55 mM) N-chlorotaurine, respectively. Virus titer reduction of adenov irus type 5 between 15 and 60 min was 0.5-2.0 and 0.6-4.0 log(10), res pectively, by the same concentrations of N-chlorotaurine. These Ending s support a contribution of N-chlorotaurine in destruction of pathogen s during inflammatory reactions and also the possibility of its applic ation as an antiviral agent in human medicine. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.