Medicinal Plants for HIV/AIDS and Malaria

HIV/AIDS and malaria are well-known global infectious diseases, with
a disproportionate burden in tropical areas where both diseases
coexist. These regions are highly exposed to risk factors that increase
the transmission of both diseases and the development of drug
resistance, threatening global health. New antiretroviral and
antimalarial drugs are therefore urgently needed. In this context, we
are looking for new or more potent plant-derived molecules with
antiviral or antiplasmodial activity. In this project we will evaluate the
antiretroviral and antiplasmodial effects of different plant families
and their extracted compounds (e.g. glucosinolates, flavonoids and
terpenes). Extracts will be subjected to GC or HPLC analysis with GCMS or LC-MS for compound identification; isolated compounds will be
purified by preparative or semi-preparative HPLC, TLC or column
chromatography. We will evaluate the cytotoxicity of the extracts and
isolated compounds in mammalian cells, assess their haemotoxicity on
healthy erythrocytes, identify expressed toxicity biomarkers, and test
their antiretroviral and antiplasmodial activities in cell culture. We
will also use time-of-addition assays to determine the stage at which
the plant extracts and isolated compounds exert their effect on the
HIV replication cycle and the Plasmodium parasite life cycle.
Together, these studies will identify the most promising plant extracts
and isolated compounds for future research.