Sodium Deoxycholate Exerts a Direct Destructive Effect on HIV and Influenza Viruses in vitro and Inhibits Retrovirus-Induced Pathology in An Animal Model

Abstract

The bile salt sodium deoxycholate had a virucidal effect on influenza, Rauscher leukaemia and HIV-1 viruses, reducing virus infectivity by a maximum of 6 logs TCID₅₀ ml⁻¹ after 1 h incubation at 37 °C with 50 μg ml⁻¹ of the compound. Electron microscopy demonstrated directly that sodium deoxycholate and other bile salts perturbed influenza virus structure causing partial or complete disruption of the virion lipid membrane, thus allowing entry of phosphotungstate dye to the virion interior. Parenteral administration of sodium deoxycholate (14 mg kg⁻¹) to Balb/C mice abrogated pathology caused by Rauscher leukaemia virus replicating in the spleen and influenza virus replicating in the lung. Bile salts may also have clinical potential as topical virucidal agents at the point of entry of enveloped viruses and particularly against HIV.