Botryosphaeran and sulfonated derivatives as novel antiviral agents for herpes simplex and dengue fever.

Sulfated polysaccharides are known to display activity against enveloped viruses, such as herpes and dengue. The aim of this work was to assess the antiviral activity of botryosphaeran, a fungal exocellular (1 → 3)(1 → 6)-β-d-glucan devoid of sulfate groups, and its chemically sulfonated derivatives, against herpes simplex virus (HSV), dengue virus (DENV) and poliovirus (PV). The natural parent polysaccharide inhibited acyclovir-sensitive HSV (HSV-KOS) infection in Vero cells (IC of 39.