Structure-activity relationships of pyrrole amidine antiviral antibiotics. 2. Preparation of mono- and tripyrrole derivatives of congocidine.

Representatives of three types of congocidine (1) analogues were synthesized. These were tested for cytotoxicity, inhibition of herpes simplex virus (HSV) replication in cultured cells, and effects on the synthesis of HS DNA in isolated nuclei in vitro, as well as on DNA synthesis by purified HSV DNA polymerase. All synthesized tripyrrole derivatives of congocidine were less cytotoxic and more active than the parent drug in all the three ant iviral tests.