Punica granatum (Pomegranate) juice provides an HIV-1 entry inhibitor and candidate topical microbicide.

ABSTRACT:

Background

For approximately 24 years the AIDS pandemic has claimed approximately 30 million lives, causing approximately 14,000 new HIV-1 infections daily worldwide in 2003. About 80% of infections occur by heterosexual transmission. In the absence of vaccines, topical microbicides, expected to block virus transmission, offer hope for controlling the pandemic. Antiretroviral chemotherapeutics have decreased AIDS mortality in industrialized countries, but only minimally in developing countries. To prevent an analogous dichotomy, microbicides should be: acceptable; accessible; affordable; and accelerative in transition from development to marketing. Already marketed pharmaceutical excipients or foods, with established safety records and adequate anti-HIV-1 activity, may provide this

SUBMITTER: Neurath AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC533885 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature