Synergistic antiretroviral activities of the herb, Prunella vulgaris, with AZT, ddI, and ddC.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Synergistic antiretroviral activities of the herb, Prunella vulgaris, with AZT, ddI, and ddC.

Abstr Gen Meet Am Soc Microbiol. 1994;94:481 (abstract no. S-27). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ASM94/94313080
John JF; Kuk R; Rosenthal A; Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, N.J.

Abstract: There is a urgent need for new, safe, and inexpensive therapy for HIV infection. We tested a group of commonly available herbs for their activity in aqueous solution against HIV. In screening tests of four commonly used herbs, Prunella vulgaris (PV) was found to exert the best anti-HIV activity. The antiretroviral activity of PV was further analyzed using an aqueous extract prepared by boiling 3 gm in 100 ml. water for 45 min. followed by filter sterilization. The ability of different dilutions of PV to inhibit replication of HIV strain H9/3B was monitored by inhibition of HIV-induced cytotoxicity in MT2 cells, measured by the MTT uptake assay. HIV inhibition of PV alone was tested in four dilutions (undiluted, 1:10, 1:100, and 1:1000). MT2 cell cytotoxicity was present at undiluted and 1:10 dilutions. The 1:100 and 1:1000 dilutions gave 80-90% and 0-25% protection respectively. PV was next tested in combination with AZT, ddI, or ddC. The combinations of PV (1:1000) plus AZT (0.003-0.01 microM) and PV plus ddI (0.1-0.3 microM) gave protection of 69-74% compared to a much lower protection range (10%) by AZT or ddI alone at the same concentrations. Only a slight additive effect was observed for PV plus ddC. We conclude that certain herbs like PV may display synergistic anti-HIV activity when used in combination with antiretroviral nucleosides.

Keywords: Cell Line Comparative Study Didanosine/*TOXICITY Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Drug Synergism *Herbs Human HIV/*DRUG EFFECTS/PHYSIOLOGY Plant Extracts/*TOXICITY Virus Replication/*DRUG EFFECTS Zalcitabine/*TOXICITY Zidovudine/*TOXICITY ABSTRACT
941030
M94A0874

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