| abstract |
Erythromycin derivatives of the formulan wherein: nT is OH or a pharmaceutically acceptable organic substituent attached to C5 through an oxygen; nV is OH or a pharmaceutically acceptable organic substituent attached to C3 through an oxygen; nU is hydrogen, hydroxy, or alkoxy or acyloxy of from 1 to 10 carbons, or U at C6 and an H at C7 are removed to form a double bond between C6 and C7, or U is taken together with X to define an ether bridge between C6 and C9; nY is hydrogen, hydroxy, alkoxy or acyloxy of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a sulphate or sulfonate group bonded to C11 through an oxygen atom, -OCH₂SO₂CH₃, or -OCH₂SOCH₃; Y and H at C10 are removed to form a double bond between C10 and C11; or Y and W, when taken together with C9, C10 and C11 of the macrolide ring, represent a 5- to 7-membered heterocyclic ring; and Z, X and W independently represent hydrogen, hydroxy, or acyloxy or alkoxy of 1 to 10 carbon atoms; with the provision that X and W taken together with U as defined above; W can be taken together with Y as defined above; or Z can be taken together with a hydrogen on C13 to represent a double bond; are used in the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by viruses, especially retroviruses and hepadna viruses. Preferred derivatives are oximinoethers or vinyl ethers or have specified substituents in the macrolide or sugar rings. |