The findings of a new study from the German Research Centre for Environmental Health, in Munich, suggests that HIV treatments could be found in geranium plants. Specifically, the study finds that HIV-1 (there are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2) can be prevented from invading human cells by being exposed to extracts of the geranium plant Pelargonium sidoides, which halts the virus from taking over by not allowing it to replicate.
And that's not all! The researchers involved in the study found that geranium extract protects blood and immune cells from the infection by preventing the HIV particle from attaching to the human cells. Essentially, the plant extract can not only stop the virus from replicating but also stops the virus from invading a human cell.
"[Geranium] extracts are a very promising lead for the development of the first scientifically validated phytomedicine against HIV-1," said research group leader Professor Ruth Brack-Werner, reports the Daily Mail. "[The] extracts attack HIV-1 with a mode of action that is different from all anti-HIV-1 drugs in clinical use. Therefore [they] may be a valuable supplement for established anti-HIV therapies."
According to the researchers, clinical trials have already been conducted and they have shown that geranium extract is safe for human use. In Germany, geranium extract has already been licensed as an herbal remedy.
"Furthermore, [the] extracts are attractive candidates for increasing anti-HIV-1 therapy options in resource-limited settings, since they are easy to produce and do not require refrigeration," add Brack-Werner. "The results of our study and the proven safety of [the] extracts encourages their testing in HIV-1 infected individuals as a next step."
The findings of this recent study are significant, given that the AIDS epidemic has claimed more than 25 million lives since the disease was discovered in 1981 and there are an estimated 34 million people currently living with the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the H.I.V. epidemic is a serious public health concern in the Latino community since Latinos currently account for 20 percent of new H.I.V. infections in the United States and statistics suggest that 1 in 36 Latino men and 1 in 106 Latina women will be diagnosed with H.I.V. at some point in their life. The CDC cites that the challenges that the Latino communities face is the lack of awareness coupled with a number of contributing factors including: behavior risk factors, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), fear of stigmatization and discrimination, cultural and socioeconomic factors and the fear of disclosure.
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