title: Anti-HIV-1 activities in extracts from some medicinal plants as assessed in an in vitro biochemical HIV-1 reverse transcriptase assay.
abstract: An in vitro HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) assay was used for screening of anti-HIV activity of extracts obtained from some Kenyan medicinal plants. The assay utilises [3H]-methyl thymidine triphosphate (dTTP) as the enzyme substrate and polyadenylic acid.oligodeoxythymidylic acid [poly(rA).p(dT)(12-18)] as the template-primer dimmer. This assay was optimised and standardised with respect to the various experimental parameters in a microtiter plate methodology. The assay was then applied to test for potential antiviral activities of several Kenyan medicinal plant extracts and the concentrations producing 50% inhibition (IC50) of the HIV-1 RT were determined. This assay is described in this report and results obtained with some of the extracts are presented.
authors.affiliation: Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya. jnkanyara@hotmail.com
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kanyara
authors.forename: E N M
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Njagi
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000187:drug effects; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007630:Kenya; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase