New treatment for HIV? DOST seeks breakthrough with plant extract

Built upon a published study from the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), researchers from the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila are investigating the antiretroviral properties of a plant extract in a promising step towards potentially finding treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Among the major challenges in treating HIV is viral latency, or the ability of the virus to be in a resting (latent) state, evading detection by the immune system and current HIV medications called antiretroviral therapies (ART).

Although ART has significantly decreased mortality in HIV infection, there is emerging drug resistance in the Filipino population, and ART does not target latent infection or gene expression – the step responsible for the multiplication of new drug-resistant clones.

In a bold move to change the game in HIV treatment by using natural compounds that may overcome these limitations, a Filipino expert in Virology, Dr. Sheriah Laine M. de Paz-Silava, and her team at UP Manila seeks to understand how the plant extract stops the virus by conducting tests on cells from HIV patients to assess its effectiveness in real-world scenarios.

This project builds on a recently published study funded by the DOST-PCHRD which demonstrated the antiretroviral activity of the plant extract in HIV-latently infected cells, revealing that the plant extract inhibits virus production to almost zero levels at noncytotoxic concentrations.

“One of the biggest obstacles towards achieving a cure for HIV infection is the presence of latently infected cells in bodily reservoirs…This study represents a significant step forward in our ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS, particularly for those in the Philippines facing emerging drug resistance,” said DOST-PCHRD Executive Director, Dr. Jaime Montoya.

Expected to end by November 2024, the project has already conducted initial experiments focusing on the preparation of plant extracts and the optimization of RT-PCR protocols. As the study progresses, the team plans to collaborate with the UP-Philippine Genome Center (PGC) to analyze the purified extracts and examine its mechanism of action in inhibiting HIV gene expression.

This project is supported by DOST-PCHRD, under its Re-emerging and Emerging Diseases (RED) Program with a funding allocation of PhP 4,944,844.68, in support of one of the DOST’s strategic pillars – Promotion of human well-being.