Two cationic meso-thiophenium porphyrins and their zinc-complexes as anti-HIV-1 and antibacterial agents under non-photodynamic therapy (PDT) conditions

Porphyrins with combinations of 4-carboxyphenyl and 4-hydroxyphenyl substituents in meso-positions as anti-HIV-1 agents

“…The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), responsible for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), poses a formidable global health challenge, necessitating the exploration of innovative approaches to combat its spread and impact 1 – 3 . This has led to an exploration of porphyrins as agents that could disrupt various stages of the HIV life cycle, presenting a new avenue for antiviral drug development 4 – 10 . Porphyrins possess a unique molecular architecture that translates to remarkable photophysical properties and concomitant bio-compatibility allowing them to interact with biological macromolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, enabling diverse biological activities 11 – 15 .…”

“…Porphyrins possess a unique molecular architecture that translates to remarkable photophysical properties and concomitant bio-compatibility allowing them to interact with biological macromolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, enabling diverse biological activities 11 – 15 . Researchers have increasingly focused on exploiting the interactions between porphyrins and viral components to inhibit crucial steps in the HIV life cycle, ranging from viral entry to replication and maturation 4 – 10 . Depending upon the overall charge of the porphyrin macrocycle, the mode of interaction with HIV and virucidal action on the virus differs from porphyrin to porphyrin 4 – 8 , 16 .…”

“…Researchers have increasingly focused on exploiting the interactions between porphyrins and viral components to inhibit crucial steps in the HIV life cycle, ranging from viral entry to replication and maturation 4 – 10 . Depending upon the overall charge of the porphyrin macrocycle, the mode of interaction with HIV and virucidal action on the virus differs from porphyrin to porphyrin 4 – 8 , 16 . Porphyrins act through RT inhibition 7 , 17 – 19 , HIV protease inhibition 20 – 22 or by blocking the interaction with the V3 loop of gp120 glycoprotein 6 , 23 .…”

“…Derivatives of meso -(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrins standalone, or in combination with different electron-donating or electron-withdrawing group including fullerenes or conjugated with nanoparticles 33 – 35 have shown enhanced photobiological outcomes in PDT. Several publications have reported the anti-HIV effects of substituted hydroxyphenyl porphyrins 4 . However, to the best of our knowledge, a systematic evaluation of the anti-HIV effects of porphyrins bearing a combination of carboxyphenyl and hydroxyphenyl moieties has not been reported.…”

Porphyrins in Photodynamic Therapy: A Review

“…[61][62][63] Porphyrin derivatives have been reported to show excellent dark toxicities against viruses like HIV, HSV-1 and 2, equine herpesvirus type 1, and Zika virus among others. [64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74] This naturally spurred research into viruses' photodynamic inactivation (PDI). 59,75 The first report of a PDT-based inactivation of enveloped viruses was published in 1990.…”