HIV-AIDS Cure: Researchers Find Asian Plant With Potential HIV-Curing Compound
Recently, researchers learned that a certain plant found in Asia might have the qualities needed to fight the human immunodeficiency virus that causes the still incurable acquired immunodeficiency syndrome otherwise known as AIDS.
An article in the Journal of Natural Products was recently published that discussed the potential ability of the Justicia gendarussa plant to inhibit HIV-1 strains that are resistant to the Azidothymidine (AZT) drug.
Scientists had developed a compound they called patentiflorin A from the said type of Justicia plant characterized with willow leaves. The plant samples were taken more than 10 years ago from the Cuc Phuong National Park in Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Researchers later on learned that the patentiflorin A compound from the Asian Justicia plant carried the ability to somewhat paralyze the enzymes that help embed HIV in human cells. While this had the same mechanism with how the AZT drug works, scientists found that the patentiflorin A compound can inhibit the said enzymes more.
Research has been on a roll for several years now and has enlisted the participation of various institutions, including the University of Illinois at Chicago, Hong Kong Baptist University, and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
The said plant had actually been used for arthritis and rheumatism treatments and can be found across Southeast Asia. The anti-HIV compound discovered in it might be even more effective compared to the AZT drug.
One of the scientists involved in the long-time research is UIC College of Medicine professor of microbiology and immunology, Lijun Rong, who was quoted by UIC News Center as saying: "Patentiflorin A represents a novel anti-HIV agent that can be added to the current anti-HIV drug cocktail regimens to increase suppression of the virus and prevention of AIDS."
"If we can make the drug in the lab, we don't need to establish farms to grow and harvest the plant, which requires significant financial investment, not to mention it has an environmental impact," Rong added.
