New anti-HIV compound from African St. John's wort species.
IPB scientists and partners from Sardinia have isolated the coumarin substance bichromol from the bark of Hypericum roeperianum in their search for antiviral agents from hitherto poorly studied St. John's wort species. Bichromol showed significant activity against HIV wild-type strains and its clinically relevant mutant strains. In particular, the compound was more effective against resistant HIV variants than the currently used drug nevirapine. The Halle scientists fully elucidated the structure of bichromol using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy.
Plants of the genus Hypericum are known for their effects against many kinds of diseases, such as depression, infections and gastrointestinal disorders. In Cameroonian traditional medicine, Hypericum roeperianum is used to treat mental illness and AIDS. This fact inspired the scientists to screen this particular St. John's wort species for active compounds against HIV. While they could not find anything in the plant leaves, they succeeded with their investigation when probing the bark. The bichromol they isolated has the potential to be used as a new anti-AIDS agent, the scientists concluded.
