title: In vitro anti-HIV activity of oleanolic acid on infected human mononuclear cells.
abstract: Oleanolic acid is a triterpenoid which is quite common in nature in the form either of free acid or in triterpenoid saponin glycosides. This study describes the effect of oleanolic acid on the growth of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) in cultures of human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) and of monocyte/macrophages (M/M). Its inhibitory activity was also evaluated on PBMC obtained from HIV-1 infected patients. Results obtained show that oleanolic acid inhibits the HIV-1 replication in all the cellular systems used (EC50 values: 22.7 microM, 24.6 microM and 57.4 microM for in vitro infected PBMC, naturally infected PBMC and M/M, respectively). As regards the mechanism of action, oleanolic acid inhibits in vitro the HIV-1 protease activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mengoni
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lichtner
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Battinelli
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marzi
authors.forename: Claudio Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mastroianni
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vullo
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzanti
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016333:HIV Protease / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000821:virology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000821:virology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000821:virology; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D015215:Zidovudine; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; D016333:HIV Protease