Potential antiviral and immunomodulatory Amazonian medicinal plant compounds

Background Novel antiretroviral drugs are in constant need for HIV/AIDS patients to face the continuous emerging resistance to the commonly prescribed combination of anti-HIV synthetic agents and their side effects. Methods Amazonian medicinal plants, Licania macrophylla (Chrysobalanaceae) and Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae) were assayed for antiretroviral and immunomodulatory activity, utilizing an established human leukocyte cell line and the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. The IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IFN-y cytokines were quantified after leukocyte culture stimulation with ethanolic plant extracts and challenged with lentivirus infection. Results Mitotic activity induced by O. hexasperma extract was significatively more pronounced than L. macrophylla extract. Cytokine modulation was recorded in SIV infected cells under independent treatment with O. hexasperma and L. macrophylla extracts. Betulinic acid, ninuriflavone, (-)epigallocathechine, (-)gallocatechine and 4-O-methyl-epigallocatechin were isolated from L. macrophyla. Conclusions Cellular proliferative activity and cytokine modulation by the extracts assayed have potential applications in the therapy of HIV/AIDS pathology, as the isolated compounds of these plants have been reported for antiviral activity.