Anti-HIV activity of Indian medicinal plants

• Published in: Journal of natural medicines 2011-07, Vol.65 (3-4), p.662-669
• Main Authors: Sabde, Sudeep, Bodiwala, Hardik S., Karmase, Aniket, Deshpande, Preeti J., Kaur, Amandeep, Ahmed, Nafees, Chauthe, Siddheshwar K., Brahmbhatt, Keyur G., Phadke, Rasika U., Mitra, Debashis, Bhutani, Kamlesh Kumar, Singh, Inder Pal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aegle - chemistry; Anti-HIV Agents - adverse effects; Anti-HIV Agents - chemistry; Anti-HIV Agents - pharmacology; Argemone - chemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - virology; Cell Line; Cell Line, Tumor; Coleus - chemistry; Complementary & Alternative Medicine; HIV - drug effects; HIV - growth & development; Humans; Medicinal Chemistry; Natural Resource Letter; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pharmacy; Plant Extracts - adverse effects; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Sciences; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; Rubia - chemistry
• ISSN: 1340-3443; 1861-0293
• DOI: 10.1007/s11418-011-0513-2

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients face great socio-economic difficulties in obtaining treatment. There is an urgent need for new, safe, and cheap anti-HIV agents. Traditional medicinal plants are a valuable source of novel anti-HIV agents and may offer alternatives to expensive medicines in future. Various medicinal plants or plant-derived natural products have shown strong anti-HIV activity and are under various stages of clinical development in different parts of the world. The present study was directed towards assessment of anti-HIV activity of various extracts prepared from Indian medicinal plants. The plants were chosen on the basis of similarity of chemical constituents with reported anti-HIV compounds or on the basis of their traditional usage as immunomodulators. Different extracts were prepared by Soxhlet extraction and liquid–liquid partitioning. Ninety-two extracts were prepared from 23 plants. Anti-HIV activity was measured in a human CD4+ T-cell line, CEM-GFP cells infected with HIV-1NL4.3. Nine extracts of 8 different plants significantly reduced viral production in CEM-GFP cells infected with HIV-1NL4.3. Aegle marmelos , Argemone mexicana , Asparagus racemosus , Coleus forskohlii , and Rubia cordifolia demonstrated promising anti-HIV potential and were investigated for their active principles.