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

Fruit juices were screened for inhibitory activity against HIV-1 IIIB using CD4 and CXCR4 as cell receptors. The best juice was tested for inhibition of: (1) infection by HIV-1 BaL, utilizing CCR5 as the cellular coreceptor; and (2) binding of gp120 IIIB and gp120 BaL, respectively, to CXCR4 and CCR5. To remove most colored juice components, the adsorption of the effective ingredient(s) to dispersible excipients and other foods was investigated. A selected complex was assayed for inhibition of infection by primary HIV-1 isolates.HIV-1 entry inhibitors from pomegranate juice adsorb onto corn starch. The resulting complex blocks virus binding to CD4 and CXCR4/CCR5 and inhibits infection by primary virus clades A to G and group O.These results suggest the possibility of producing an anti-HIV-1 microbicide from inexpensive, widely available sources, whose safety has been established throughout centuries, provided that its quality is adequately standardized and monitored.The global AIDS epidemic has proceeded relentlessly for ≈ 24 years with no promising prophylactic intervention in sight. In 2003 there were 5 million new HIV infections, and 3 million AIDS deaths [1]. To date the number of individuals living with HIV-1 infection/AIDS has reached 40 million, and ≈ 30 million people have already died from AIDS since the beginning of the pandemic [1,2]. Most new infections have been acquired by the mucosal route, heterosexual transmission playing the major (≈ 80%) role. Although the incidence of transmission per unprotected coital act is estimated to be low (0.0001 – 0.004), but strikingly increased when acutely infected individuals are involved [3,4], the cumulative effect is overwhelming.Anti-HIV-1 vaccines applicable to global immunization programs are not expected to become available for many years. Thus, other prevention strategies are urgently needed. This includes educational efforts and application of mechanical and/or chemical barrier methods. The latter correspond