Antiviral activity of Ugandan medicinal plants used by herbalists against human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)

access to antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) than those eligible in Sub Saharan Africa. Many PLHIV use medicinal plants which have not been scientifically evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-HIV-1 activity of selected one widely used medicinal plant species for treating AIDS PLHIV in Uganda. A total of 22 plant extracts (ethanol & Dimethyl Sulphoxide) were tested for their antiviral activity against HIV-1 Pseudovirions using the human glioblastoma cell line; U87.CD4.CXCR4, which was transfected with the luciferase firefly reporter gene. The selective inhibition of the growth of HIV-1 PV was measured using the selectivity index (SI). The ethanol extract of Psorospermum febrifugium Spach exhibited the highest selective antiviral activity against HIV-1 (SI=165.8, CC₅₀=99.45 µg/ml) without cytotoxicity to the U87.CD4.CXCR4 cells at a concentration of 8 µg/ml. The other species with relatively high SI were Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) (120.0), Warbugia ugandensis Sprague (76), Securidaca longipendunculata Fresen (72), Albizia coriaria Oliv (64.0). However, both the ethanol and DMSO extracts of A. coriaria (CC₅₀ of 6.4 and<4 µg/ml) and W. ugandensis (7.6 and 1.5 µg/ml) were also highly cytotoxic to the cells. Some of the plant extracts tested have potential antiviral activity against HIV-1 as shown by the high SI and lower cytotoxicity. Fewer people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) have

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Publication History

Article published online:
13 December 2021