The Novel Study of IMODTM against HIV-1, P24 production

Abstract

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), a result of human HIV (Human Immunodeficinency Virus) infection, is one of the most troublesome world's health problems. Extensive researches to find effective drugs for its treatment are running fast in huge capacities. IMOD (Immuno-Modulator Drug) is the name of an herbal drug that has modulatory effects of immune system. As a goal of this research, IMOD was tested to determine its effect on HIV-infected cells, and whether it can inhibit viral P₂₄gag protein production or not. Human PBMCs (Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell) isolated from peripheral blood by Ficoll-gradient centrifugation from two groups including 15 HIV-infected patients and 5 non-infected persons as the control group. Then the cells were cultured and the plates were incubated for 3 days in a humidified Co₂ incubator at 37^◦C. Then IMOD and AZT (Zidovodine) were added to the progeny of each flask. After 48 hours, the amount of P₂₄in supernatant was evaluated by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). It was demonstrated that the concentration of P₂₄ in AZT treated flask was low but in IMOD treated flasks was variable. Our study reveals that IMOD couldn't inhibit P₂₄ production in HIV positive individuals, although this conclusion is only based <em>in vitro </em>study and specific research which must be tested <em>in vivo</em>. In conclusion, although AZT group has higher viral load but it can release P₂₄antigen more than IMOD treated groups.