Novel antiviral activity of dialdehyde starch

Le Song
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
University of Florida
Gainesville, Fl32611, USA
Tel: 1 352 846 3793
Fax: 1 352 846 3355

Caroline Cruz
Department of Microbiology and Cell Science
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611, USA

Samuel R. Farrah
Department of Microbiology and Cell Science
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611, USA

Ronald H. Baney*
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611, USA
Tel: 1 352 846 3785
Fax: 1 353 846 3355
E-mail: rbane@mse.ufl.edu

*Corresponding author

Keywords: antiviral, biocide, dialdehyde starch, virus.

A significant effort worldwide is being directed toward development of novel biocides against drug-resistant bacterial and viruses because of the significant potential human infection risks in the general population. We report here the discovery of a strong antiviral biocide, dialdheyde starch (DAS). Antiviral tests were carried out against three non-envelop viruses, including two bacterial viruses MS2 and PRD1, and one human virus Poliovirus. Dialdehyde starch aqueous suspensions were effective biocides against these three test viruses in a 1 hr exposure test. The antiviral activity was significantly enhanced in a four-hour exposure test, with maximum seven orders of magnitude reductions against MS2 and PRD1, and four-order reduction against Poliovirus. The antiviral activity of dialdehyde starch was found to be pH dependent, being more active in alkaline and acidic conditions than in neutral conditions.