Baicalin as a treatment for SARS infection

A method for treating a subject infected with a SARS virus, said method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound having the following formula:

• wherein
• each of X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, Xa, Xb, Xc, Xd, Xe and Xf is independently O or S;
• each of Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 and Y6 is independently H or CH3;
• each of R4, R5, Ra, Rb and Rc is independently H, (C1-C10)alkyl optionally substituted with 1-5 Ry groups, or (C1-C10)alkyl-O—(C1-C10)alkyl, each (C1-C10)alkyl of which is optionally substituted with 1-5 Ry groups;
• each Ry is independently Rq or —(C2-C10)alkenyl, —(C2-C10)alkynyl, —(C3-C10)cycloalkyl, —(C8-C14)bicycloalkyl, —(C8-C14)tricycloalkyl, —(C5-C10)cycloalkenyl, (C8-C14)bicycloalkenyl, —(C8-C14)tricycloalkenyl, -phenyl, -naphthyl or —(C14)aryl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more Rz groups;
• each of R1, R2 and R3 is independently Rq or (C1-C10)alkyl, —(C2-C10)alkenyl, —(C2-C10)alkenyl, —(C3-C10)cycloalkyl, —(C8-C14)bicycloalkyl, —(C8-C14)tricycloalkyl, —(C5-C10)cycloalkenyl, (C8-C14)bicycloalkenyl, —(C8-C14)tricycloalkenyl, -phenyl, -naphthyl or —(C14)aryl, each of which is unsubstituted, substituted with one or more Rq groups, substituted with one or more Rz groups, or substituted with one or more Rq groups and one or more groups;
• Rf is H, (C1-C12)alkyl optionally substituted with 1-5 Ry groups, (C1-C12)alkyl-O—(C1-C12)alkyl, each (C1-C12)alkyl of which is optionally substituted with 1-5 Ry, or a counterion;
• each Rq is independently CN, OH, halo, N3, NO2, N(Rz)2═NRz, CH═NRz, NRzOH, ORz, CORz, C(O)ORz, OC(O)Rz, OC(O)Rz, OC(O)ORz, SRz, S(O)Rz or S(O)2Rz;
• each Rz is independently —(C1-C6)alkyl, —(C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, —(C5-C8)cycloalkenyl, -phenyl, -(3- to 5-membered)heterocycle, C(halo)3 or CH(halo)2;
• and
• n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or excipient, wherein said compound is at least 95% pure.