Patent ID: 7297687

Claim:
A method of inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria or the replication of herpes or influenza viruses in a patient comprising the step of administering to said patient an amount of an alpha-glycosidically linked starch polysaccharide derivative represented by general formula I, wherein said alpha-glycosidically linked starch polysaccharide derivative has a degree of quaternary ammonium group substitution of from 0.4 to 2.0, n is 2-4, R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C 1-4 alkyl, benzyl and benzyl substituted with a member selected from the group consisting of C 1-3 alkyl, halogen, alkoxy, carbamoyl, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, dialkylamino and hydrogen, R 2 and R 3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-4 alkyl, benzyl and benzyl substituted with a member selected from the group consisting of C 1-3 alkyl, halogen, alkoxy, carbamoyl, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano and dialkylamino, and X is an anion selected from the group consisting of halide, hydroxide, sulfate, hydrogen sulfate and carboxylate, effective to inhibit the growth of said pathogenic bacteria or the replication of said herpes virus or said influenza virus.