The Potential of Sub-Saharan African Plants in the Management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infections: A Review

Abstract

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Southern Africa. Phytomedicines are an integral part of African health care. The Southern African flora is composed of at least 23 400 taxa. Despite this richness, only a handful of botanical products have been assessed for activities against HIV. This study aimed to summarize the potential of Sub-Saharan African plants, based on their composition and the established bioactivities, as sources of agents to manage HIV symptoms and as retroviral therapy. At least 109 plant species from 42 families and 94 genera that are found in Southern Africa were shown to have potential or actual activities against HIV. Only 12 of these plant species from 6 families and 10 genera were shown to harbour anti-HIV properties. Phytochemicals that include β-sitosterols, terpenoids, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, triterpenoids, tannins and alkaloids, which harbour anti-HIV properties, were found to have a near cosmopolitan presence across the plant families in the region. Bioactivities of multiple phytochemicals are comparable to those for standard allopathic antiretroviral drugs. Research to determine the anti-HIV activities of the identified and other plants, including clinical trials, is long overdue.

Potent in vitro antiviral activity of Cistus incanus extract against HIV and Filoviruses targets viral envelope proteins

“…There is an urgent need for potent, inexpensive and safe antiviral agents to enable treatment of acute and chronic life-threatening viral infections on a global scale. Various medicinal plants have been shown to inhibit major human viral pathogens like Herpesviruses, Dengue Viruses, Hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV 13 38 39 40 41 42 43 . Despite of these extensive studies, herbal products have not yet been advanced into broadly available, safe and efficacious medicinal agents for global treatment of viral infections 44 .…”

Balanites Maughamii Sprague (Zygophyllaceae) in Tropical Africa: A Synthesis and Review of Its Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Medicinal Potential

“…B. maughamii is mainly used for magical purposes (good luck, wards off evil spirits, bath said to be stimulating, and exhilarating), as emetic, tonic, fish poison, insecticidal, and herbal medicine for bilharzia (Table 1 and Figure 1). Other minor medicinal applications recorded in a single country include use of the species as arrow poison, mosquito repellent, snail poison, purgative and panacea, and as herbal medicine for cough, malaria and nervous complaints [19][20][21][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62]. In Mozambique, the bark of B. maughamii is mixed with Phaseolus vulgaris L. as an herbal medicine for hematuria [21].…”

Microencapsulation of Natural Antioxidant Compounds Obtained from Biomass Wastes: A Review

“…In this sense, methanolic tannin extracts from different plants (Cola gigantean, Holarrhena floribunda, Tapinanthus bangwensis, Anchomanes difformis, P. eliotii and Vitellaria paradoxa) were proved to be responsible for the antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus strain [30]. Different studies attributed a beneficial effect of tannins in cardiovascular diseases with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities [31][32][33]. Recent evidences also showed condensed tannins to improve composition, quality and shelf-life of ruminant products improving fibre and milk production, growth rate, reproductive efficiency, and reducing the gastro-intestinal parasitism in ruminants [34].…”