IN-VITRO VIRUCIDAL AND VIRUSTATIC ANTI HIV-1 EFFECTS OF EXTRACTS FROMPERSEA-AMERICANA MILL (AVOCADO) LEAVES

Aqueous (PA1) and methanolic extracts (PA2a-d; PA3) from the tropical tree Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae), were evaluated for their cell ular toxicity and anti-HIV-1 activity both in virustatic and virucidal assays. With the exception of PA3 and PA2d, all extracts showed anti- HIV-1 activity at concentrations which were not toxic for the H9 indic ator cells. From the methanol insoluble extract (PA2) four different f ractions (PA2a-d) were obtained using reverse-phase column chromatogra phy, and two of the fractions (b and c) showed detectable virucidal ef fect. One fraction (PA2a) showed virustatic effects inhibiting HIV syn cytium formation and viral p24 antigen formation at concentrations whi ch were not toxic for the indicator cells. The results demonstrate for the first time that extracts from P. americana leaves have moderate a nti-HIV-1 activity in vitro.