Antiviral activity of Rwandan medicinal plants against human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1).
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.
Cos
P
P
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Hermans
N
N
De
Bruyne T
BT
Apers
S
S
Sindambiwe
J B
JB
Witvrouw
M
M
De
Clercq E
CE
Vanden
Berghe D
BD
Pieters
L
L
Vlietinck
A J
AJ
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
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts