| abstract |
Peptide-based compounds containing four invariant cycteine residues which have been optionally oxidized to contain two intramolecular disulfide bonds, or modified forms where the cysteines are replaced are useful as preservatives and in preventing, treating, or ameliorating viral or microbial infection in animals and plants, and in inactivating endotoxin. These compounds, in one embodiment, are of the formula: A1A2A3A4A5C6A7C8A9A10 (1) A11A12C13A14C15A16(A17A18) and the N-terminal acylated and/or C-terminal amidated or esterified forms thereof, which is either in the optionally -SH stabilized linear or in a cystine-bridged form wherein each of A1 and A9 is independently a basic amino acid; each of A2 and A3 is independently a small amino acid; each of A5, A7, A12, A14 and A16 is independently a hydrophobic amino acid; A4 is a basic or a small amino acid; A10 is a basic or a small amino acid or is proline; A11 is a basic or a hydrophobic amino acid; A17 is not present or, if present, is a small amino acid; A18, is not present or, if present, is a basic amino acid; or a modified form of formula (1) and the N-terminal acylated and/or C-terminal amidated or esterified forms thereof wherein each of 1-4 cysteines is independently replaced by a hydrophobic amino acid or a small amino gacid. |