HIV Infection Is Inhibited by Elderberry, Cinnamon, Green Tea Extracts

A study conducted by HerbalScience has reported that they have identified the key chemical components in elderberry, cinnamon, and green tea extracts that bind to the HIV viruses and block them from infecting target cells in the laboratory.

An article detailing the research, titled HIV type-1 entry inhibitors with a new mode of action, appears in the current issue of Antiviral Chemistry & Chemotherapy.

The company said that for the study, the researchers have used the elderberry extract, and compared the antiviral activities to those of extracts obtained from green tea and cinnamon.

Using a direct binding assay with advanced DART (Direct Analysis in Real Time) Time-of-Flight mass spectrometry technology, the researchers were able to identify specific compounds in each of the three botanical extracts that bind to and block HIV infection in target cells.

The researchers said that, among the hundreds of compounds present in the extracts, only two compounds were found to bind to the HIV virus particles. The research also determined the inhibitory concentration (IC50 and IC100) values of each extract, and additional analysis showed no toxic effect from the extracts even at concentrations well above the determined IC100 (100 percent inhibition) values.

Additionally, the study examined the inhibitory interactions between the elderberry extract and enfuvirtide (also termed Fuzeon), among the first of a new class of HIV antiviral drugs called entry inhibitors, or drugs that disrupt the fusion of virus and target cells.

The result indicates that the active antiviral chemistries in the elderberry extract bind to a different HIV glycoprotein than does enfuvirtide, demonstrating a significant synergistic effect on in-vitro infection.