A HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS PROTEASE INHIBITORY SUBSTANCE FROM SWIETENIA-MAHAGONI

For the purpose of finding anti-HIV agents from natural sources, vario us plant extracts were screened for their inhibitory activity against HIV-protease, an enzyme essential for viral proliferation, By bioassay -directed fractionation of the methanol extract of Swietenia mahagoni (bark) which had shown inhibitory activity against this enzyme, we iso lated and identified chlorogenic acid methyl ester as a inhibitory sub stance, its 50% inhibitory concentration being less than 40 mu g/ml. ( C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.