Synthesis and antiviral activity of lycorine derivatives.

There are no effective antiviral drugs to treat hand, foot, and mouth disease. In this study, a series of lycorine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated against enterovirus 71 and coxsackievirus A16 in vitro. Derivatives 7c-m with the phenoxyacyl group at the C-1 position showed higher efficacy and lower toxicity than lycorine. In addition, derivative 7e enhanced the survival rate to 40% in the mouse model of the lethal EV71 infection.