Antiviral activity of Ugandan medicinal plants against human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)

Abstract

Introduction: In Uganda, many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) use untested herbs for therapy Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-HIV-1 activity of selected plant species. Methods: Twenty-two 22 plant extracts were tested against HIV-1 Pseudovirions (PV) HXB2 (IIIB) strain in using the human glioblastoma cell line; U87.CD4.CXCR4, transfected with the luciferase firefly reporter gene. The selective inhibition of the growth of HIV-1 PV was measured using the selectivity index (SI). The in vitro cytotoxicity of each of the plant extracts was also evaluated using the AlamarBlue cell viability assay on U87.CD4.CXCR4 cells. Results: The ethanol and DMSO extracts of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schltr., (SI = 74.7 and 56.3), Psorospermum febrifugium Spach (SI = 54.1 and 47.5) and B. micrantha (SI = 25.3 and 38.7), exhibited the highest SI against HIV-1 PV. Conclusion: Some of the plant extracts tested have potential antiviral activity against HIV-1.

Exploring nature’s antidote: unveiling the inhibitory potential of selected medicinal plants from Kisumu, Kenya against venom from some snakes of medical significance in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Cytotoxicity studies in A. salina revealed that some extracts of V. glabra leaves, W. ugandensis leaf stalk, and C. africana stem bark were cytotoxic to A. salina. Previous studies by Wanna, Karani, Anywar, Mwangi and their colleagues have shown that V. glabra was cytotoxic in A. salina (LC 50 = 658 μg/mL) (Wanna et al, 2023), W. ugandensis was non-cytotoxic in Vero cells (CC 50 of >250 μg/mL) (Karani et al, 2013) but cytotoxic to human glioblastoma cells (IC 50 = 7.6 μg/mL) (Anywar et al, 2022) and C. africana was cytotoxic to Vero cells (CC 50 > 20 μg/mL) (Mwangi et al, 2020). The compounds responsible for the toxicity of V. glabra and Z. usambarense have not been studied in detail but a study by Wairagu and colleagues established that cedrol, 9-octadecanoic acid-ethylester, octadecadien-1-ol, citronellyl formate, n-hexadecenoic acid, and 1,2-dihydro-6-methoxy-naphthalene isolated from the dichloromethane crude fraction of C. africana resin were toxic to bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) (Wairagu et al, 2022).…”