Allyl compounds selectively killed human immunodeficiency virus (type 1)-infected cells

Various allyl compounds were tested as anti-HIV reagents. Of all the allyl compounds tested, allyl disulfide (CH2 = CH-CH2-S-S-CH2-CH = CH2), allyl alcohol (CH2 = CH-CH2-OH), and its ester strongly depressed cell proliferation of HIV-1-infected cells. KC50 (50% killing concentration) of the allyl disulfide and the allyl alcohol were 34 microM and 10 microM, respectively. The allyl alcohol, in particular, completely inhibited cell growth of HIV-1-infected cells by a single injection at a concentration of 40 microM, ultimately killing the viable CEM/LAV-1 cells within 96 hr cultivation. No effect of the allyl alcohol and its esters on cell proliferation of CEM cells, which are a HIV-1 noninfected human T-cell cell line, was observed at the concentration range of 20 to 200 microM under the same experimental conditions. The results suggest that the effect of the allyl alcohol and its esters resulted in remarkable promotion of the cytopathic effect induced by HIV-1 virus.