Examination of lectins, polysaccharopeptide, polysaccharide, alkaloid, coumarin and trypsin inhibitors for inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase and glycohydrolases.

A variety of lectins were tested in vitro for inhibitory action against the activities of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase and the N-glycohydrolases (alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase). Lectins from Phaseolus vulgaris, Momordica charantia, Ricinus communis and its constituent chains, and Agaricus bisporus were able to inhibit HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. P. vulgaris lectin and A. bisporus lectin were the most potent. The aforementioned lectins had only weak or no inhibitory effects on the glycohydrolases. The inhibitory effect of polysaccharopeptide from the mushroom Coriolus versicolor on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and alpha-glucosidase was enhanced after chemical modification with chlorosulfonic acid. However, the inhibitory effect of the algal polysaccharide fucoidan on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and alpha-glucosidase was not augmented by sulfation. Trypsin inhibitors from Phaseolus lunatus and Glycine max, gossypol and alkaloids from Corydalis yanhusuo were able to inhibit HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Dicoumarol was capable of inhibiting HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase.