Iododeoxyuridine (IDU), introduced 9 years ago, was the first antiviral drug to be used effectively and without significant toxicity in the treatment of a human viral disease (Kaufman, Martola, and The presence of IDU halts the reproduction of herpes simplex virus, presumably by competing with thymidine in the synthesis of the viral desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and thereby producing a fraudulent DNA that cannot replicate.A biological effect of ultraviolet light on DNA is to cause dimerization of thymine molecules and the extrusion of the dimerized molecules from the DNA (Setlow and Carrier, I 964). Theoretically, therefore, the effectivity of IDU could possibly be potentiated by the simultaneous exposure of the DNA virus to ultraviolet light and IDU since more of the thymidine competitive agent would be utilized by the regenerating virus to replace the extruded thymine.Ultraviolet radiation has other desirable features for the therapy of superficial herpes simplex keratitis, and has been used alone in the treatment of this condition (Hudnell and Chick, I 962; Andrzejewska and Obukowicz, I 966). The advantageous qualities include: (i) Direct viricidal activity resulting from damage of the exposed viral DNA;(2) The destruction of diseased epithelial cells in the ultraviolet superficial keratitis.These cells, harbouring virus, subsequently desquamate, giving rise to a photochemical debridement; (3) The possible stimulation of interferon production.It has been established that the most effective wavelength of the ultraviolet band to produce damage to DNA in bacteria and viruses is in the vicinity of 2,650 A, with a small but insignificant decrease at 2,537 A (Sharp, I939;Phillips and Havel, 1956; Hudnell and Chick, I962) (Fig. i). The spectral limits of the band capable of inducing photochemical keratitis were found to be 2,400 A and 3,050 A, with peak effect at 2,880 A (Cogan and Kinsey, 1946). Kinsey (I948) determined the spectral transmission of the eye to ultraviolet radiations and found that only 26 per cent. of the energy of 2,537 A incident on the corneal epithelium reached the stroma, and none reached the aqueous humour. Such
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.