Related Experiment Videos
Development and evaluation of microbicidal hydrogels containing monoglyceride as the active ingredient
T Kristmundsdóttir1, S G Arnadóttir, G Bergsson
1Department of Pharmacy and Institute of Biology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. thordisk@hi.is
Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
|October 9, 1999
Summary
Monocaprin and lauric acid show potent antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). Monocaprin is identified as a promising active ingredient for fast-acting virucidal hydrogels, demonstrating significant inactivation of HSV-1 in semen.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Biochemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) poses a significant public health challenge, particularly in the context of sexually transmitted infections.
- Development of effective, fast-acting microbicides is crucial for preventing pathogen transmission to mucosal membranes.
- Existing microbicides may have limitations in terms of efficacy, speed of action, or cytotoxicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify potent lipid-based active ingredients for a rapid-acting virucidal hydrogel formulation.
- To evaluate the efficacy of selected lipids against herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) under short incubation times.
- To assess the suitability of monocaprin as the primary active agent in a hydrogel for preventing viral transmission.
Main Methods:
- Screening of various saturated fatty acids and their monoglycerides for antiviral activity against HSV-1.
- Quantitative assessment of viral titer reduction after short incubation periods (1-5 minutes) at specific lipid concentrations.
- Formulation of hydrogels containing monocaprin and evaluation of their virucidal efficacy and cytotoxicity in vitro.
Main Results:
- Monocaprin (1-monoglyceride of capric acid) and lauric acid demonstrated the highest activity, achieving >100,000-fold reduction in HSV-1 titer within 1 minute at 20 mM.
- At 10 mM, monocaprin retained full activity, while lauric acid showed negligible effect, highlighting monocaprin's superior potency and faster action.
- Hydrogel formulations with 20 mM monocaprin were highly effective in inactivating HSV-1 in human semen (>100,000-fold reduction in 1 minute) and showed lower cytotoxicity compared to a commercial nonoxynol-9 product.
Conclusions:
- Monocaprin is the most suitable active ingredient for developing a fast-acting virucidal hydrogel formulation.
- The developed monocaprin-based hydrogels exhibit potent in vitro virucidal activity against HSV-1, even in complex biological matrices like semen.
- These formulations present a promising strategy for preventing the transmission of sexually transmitted viruses and other mucosal pathogens.