Anti-HIV-1 activities in extracts from some medicinal plants as assessed in an in vitro biochemical HIV-1 reverse transcriptase assay

Phytother Res. 2005 Apr;19(4):287-90. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1536.

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-HIV Agents / pharmacology*
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / drug effects
  • HIV-1 / enzymology*
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Kenya
  • Medicine, Traditional
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Plants, Medicinal*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase