Treatment of viral infections

Abstract

A pharmaceutical composition comprising therapeutically effective quantities of calcium channel blockers in combination with quinolines. In preferred embodiments, the invention further comprises quercetin. The components combine and interact in a manner to effectively treat viral infections.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising the combination of at least one calcium channel blocker; and at least one quinoline or a derivative or intermediate thereof, or salts thereof, in therapeutically effective amounts and proportions to reduce viral activity in mammals.  
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising quercetin or derivatives-thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the calcium channel blocker component to the quinoline component to the quercetin component is about 10-20 to about 3-8 to about 1-4.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the quinoline component comprises chloroquine or derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the quinoline component comprises at least one 4-aminoquinoline or derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the quinoline component comprises quinine or derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the quinoline component comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of mefloquine, mefloquine hydrochlonde, primaquine, primaquine phosphate, carboxyprimaquine, and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the Ca channel blocker component comprises verapamil or derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the Ca channel blocker component comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of nimodipine, diproteverine, SmithKline drug no. 9512 and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the Ca channel blocker component is formed from at least one member selected from the group consisting of isoptin, nitrendipine and diltiazam and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the Ca channel blocker component comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of mioflazine, flunarizine, bepridil, lidoflazine, CERM-196, R 58735, R-56865, ranolazine, nisoldipine, nicardipine, PNZ00-110. Felodipine, amlodipine, R-(+)-202-791 and R-(+) Bay K-8644 and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the components are in particle form and tableted with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or tableting agents.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the components are in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable liquid carrier.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 11 , comprising about 5 to 500 mg Ca channel blocker, and about 5 to 1200 mg quinoline component.  
     
     
         15 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising effective amounts of verapamil and chloroquine or pharmaceutically equivalent derivatives thereof to reduce viral activity in an infected mammal.  
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , comprising unit dosage forms containing about 5 to 500 mg verapamil or pharmaceutically equivalent derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 15 , comprising an effective amount of quercetin or pharmaceutically equivalent derivatives thereof to inhibit viral activity in an infected mammal, when administered with verapmil and chloroquine.  
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 15 , comprising unit dosage forms containing about 5 to 500 mg verapamil, about 5 to 1200 mg chloroquine, and about 5 to 500 mg quercetin or pharmaceutically equivalent derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 15 , comprising unit dosage forms containing about 20 to 240 mg verapamil about 20 to 1200 mg chloroquine and about 10 to 500 mg quercetin or pharmaceutically equivalent derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         20 . A method of reducing viral activity in an infected mammal, comprising administering to a mammal with a viral infection, a therapeutically effective amount of at least one Ca channel blocker and a quinoline or derivatives thereof, in sufficient amounts to treat and reduce viral activity in the mammal.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising the step of treating a hepatitis viral infection with the quinoline and Ca channel blocker components and a therapeutically effective amount of quercetin.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising the step of treating an HIV viral infection with the quinoline and at least one Ca channel blocker components.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising administering quercetin or derivatives thereof, with the channel blocker and quinoline components.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , comprising administering quercetin or derivatives thereof, with the channel blocker and quinoline components.