Method for treating retroviral infections

Abstract

Compositions and methods of treating a retroviral infection in an afflicted host and/or inhibiting replication of a retrovirus involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of the following compound of formula I: A—L—B  (I) wherein A is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl compound, substituted or unsubstituted piperidyl, or substituted or unsubstituted thiopheneyl; L is sulfonyl, sulfinyl or thio; and B is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic nitrogen containing heteroaryl compound; or pharmacologically acceptable acid-addition and base-addition salts thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A pharmaceutical composition useful for treating a retroviral infection by a retovirus selected from the group consisting of HIV, HCMV and HHV, in an afflicted host, comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the following compound:  
       A—L—B  
       or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid-addition and base-addition salt thereof; wherein: 
 component A is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl functional group, substituted or unsubstituted piperidyl, or substituted or unsubstituted thiopheneyl;  
 component L is sulfonyl, sulfinyl or thio; and,  
 component B is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic nitrogen containing heteroaryl functional group; and  
 a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the substituted or unsubstituted aryl functional group component A is of the following formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein Z is H, Cl, cyano, alkyl having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyl having 2 or 3 carbon atoms; Y is H or a double bond to a carbon which is attached to R; and R is phenyl, biphenyl, benzyl, polycycloaryl, heteroaryl or phenyl substituted with 1 to 5 substituents which may be the same or different, the substituents being selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, halogen, nitro, methoxy, ethoxy, benzyloxy, methylenedioxy, 2,2-dichlorocyclopropyl, trifluoromethyl, methylsulfonyl, cyano and phenoxy.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the substituted or unsubstituted aromatic nitrogen containing heteroaryl functional group component B is 4-methylquinolyl, 8-ethyl-4-methylquinolyl or a structure of the following formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein n is 0 or 1, R 1  and R 2  may be the same or different and are H, halogen, lower alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, hydroxy, or nitro.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of 2-(phenylmethylsulfonyl) pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl) octylsulfonyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methylsulfonyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]sulfonyl]-3-methylpyridine-N-oxide, 2-[[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)chloromethyl]sulfonyl]-4-methylpyridine-N-oxide, 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)chloromethyl]sulfonyl] pyridine, 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methylthio]-3-chloropyridine-N-oxide, 2-[phenylmethyl]thio-3-hydroxypyridine, 2-[(2,5-dimethylphenyl) methylthio] pyridine, 2-[(2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorophenyl)methylsulfonyl] pyridine N-oxide, 2[1-(phenylethyl)sulfonyl]-8-ethyl-4-methylquinoline, 2-[(3,4-dichlorophenyl)methylsulfonyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[(4-(2,2-dichlorocyclopropyl)phenyl)methylsulfonyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)methylsulfinyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[(3-nitro-4-chlorophenyl) methylsulfonyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[phenylmethylsulfinyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)propyl]sulfonyl]-3-methylpyridine-N-oxide, 2-[(9-anthryl)methylsulfonyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[4-((1,1 dimethyl)propyl) phenyl)methylsulfonyl] pyridine-N-oxide, 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethylthio]-4-methylquinoline, 2-[[(2,5dimethylphenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]-3-methylpyridine-N-oxide and pharmaceutically acceptable acid-addition and base-addition salts thereof.