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Natural Products with Inhibitory Activity Against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

Summary

This research review examines natural compounds from plants, fungi, and marine organisms that could help fight HIV infection. These natural substances work by blocking different steps of how HIV infects and reproduces in human cells. The study is important because current HIV treatments can have serious side effects and may become less effective over time as the virus develops resistance. Impacts on everyday life: • Could lead to development of new HIV medications with fewer side effects • May provide more affordable treatment options, especially in developing countries • Demonstrates the importance of preserving biodiversity as a source of new medicines • Shows potential for natural dietary supplements to support HIV treatment • Could help reduce stigma by providing more manageable treatment options

Background

HIV infection remains one of the main public health problems worldwide, with approximately 38 million people infected and 32% not receiving antiretroviral treatment. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective at reducing viral load and increasing CD4+ T cell counts, issues with drug access, side effects, and viral resistance necessitate research into new therapeutic compounds. Natural products represent a promising source of anti-HIV compounds due to their therapeutic potential and potential for fewer side effects.

Objective

This review aimed to describe the wide repertoire of natural compounds exhibiting anti-HIV-1 activity that can be considered for designing new therapeutic strategies to curb the HIV pandemic. The review focused particularly on terpenes, coumarins, flavonoids, laccases, lectins, ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs), and bromotyrosines isolated from fungi, plants, and marine sponges.

Results

The review identified numerous natural compounds that inhibit various stages of the HIV-1 replication cycle. Key findings included terpenes like betulinic acid derivatives that inhibit viral maturation, coumarins like calanolides that inhibit reverse transcriptase, flavonoids that block viral entry and integration, proteins like laccases and lectins that inhibit multiple viral processes, and bromotyrosines that affect viral transcription. Several compounds showed promising therapeutic potential with high selectivity indexes and low toxicity.

Conclusion

Research on natural products and their derivatives with anti-HIV activity may lead to the development of effective antiretroviral drugs with fewer side effects and better accessibility. The identified compounds represent promising candidates for alternative or supplemental therapies to current antiretroviral treatment. Further research is warranted to better understand their mechanisms of action and conduct clinical trials with the most promising compounds.
  • Published in:Advances in Virology,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.1155/2021/5552088
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