MZC has potent anti-HPV activity in vitro and prevents HPV-16 PsV vaginal infection in mice.

A) The anti-HPV-16 (open circles), 18 (open trianbles) and 45 (open squares) IC₅₀ values (shown as a vertical dotted line within the 95% confidence interval) were estimated using the luciferase assay in HeLa cells. All gel dilutions were tested in triplicate. B) Depo-treated Balb/C mice were given the indicated formulations (HEC placebo or MZC) intravaginally at different time points before HPV-16 PsV challenge (15 animals/treatment). In vivo luciferase expression was measured 24 h after challenge using the IVIS Lumina and is expressed as mean luminescence in photons per second per centimeter square per steridian ± SD (*P<0.05 vs. HEC, Mann Whitney U test). C) CG levels (mean μg/ml ± SD) in vaginal washes from mice treated intravaginally with MZC were measured by ELISA at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 h post-gel (n = 6 per time point).