title: Antiviral activity of Rwandan medicinal plants against human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1).
abstract: Selected plants used in Rwandan traditional medicine for the treatment of infections and/or rheumatoid diseases were investigated for antiviral activity in vitro against human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). Of the 38 tested 80% ethanolic extracts, belonging to plants of 21 different families only the extracts from the leaves of Aspilia pluriseta (Asteraceae) and Rumex bequaertii (Polygonaceae) had interesting selectivity indices (SI = ratio of the 50% cytotoxic concentration to the 50% effective antiviral concentration) higher than 1. Further fractionation of the initially antivirally inactive ethanolic extract of Tithonia diversifolia, however, led to an aqueous fraction with a high anti-HIV-1 activity (SI > 461), indicating that the cytotoxicity of some plant components may mask the antiviral properties of the active plant substances in total plant extracts.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: Bruyne T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: De
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apers
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sindambiwe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Witvrouw
authors.forename: Clercq E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: De
authors.forename: Berghe D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Vanden
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pieters
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vlietinck
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002460:Cell Line / Q000187:drug effects; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018514:Plant Structures; D012432:Rwanda
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts