Synergistic effect of rifamycin derivatives and amphotericin B on viral transformation of a murine cell line.

One of the most potent inhibitors of RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity so far described (rifazacyclo-16) was not correspondingly as active in focus inhibition. This discrepancy was thought to be due to the inability of the drug to penetrate the cell membrane. It has been found that a very low level of amphotericin B allows this drug, as well as the previously described 2',6'-dimethyl-N(4')benzyl-N(4')-[desmethyl] rifampicin, to exhibit a very high capability to inhibit focus formation. Since these two drugs are highly lipophilie, their activity may be expected to be dependent upon any lipophilic components in the medium, such as serum or detergents. The use of amphotericin B as well as serum in tissue cultures is common, and could account for some of the variability in focus inhibition reported in the literature.