Bananas could be key to stopping spread of Aids, say scientists

[squiggle]

Bananas may hold the key to powerful new treatments that protect against the Aids virus.

In laboratory tests, scientists found that a banana ingredient called BanLec was as potent as two existing anti-HIV drugs.

They believe cheap therapies based on BanLec have the potential to save millions of lives.

The ingredient is a lectin, a naturally occurring chemical in plants that fights infection.

Researchers in the U.S. found that the lectin found in bananas can inhibit HIV infection by blocking the virus's entry into the body. BanLec acts on the protein 'envelope' that encloses HIV's genetic material.

Lead author Michael Swanson, from the University of Michigan, said: 'The problem with some HIV drugs is that the virus can mutate and become resistant, but that's much harder to do in the presence of lectins.

'Lectins can bind to the sugars found on different spots of the HIV-1 envelope, and presumably it will take multiple mutations for the virus to get around them.'

The research is reported in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

BanLec was as effective in the laboratory as two anti-HIV drugs now in use, T-20 and maraviroc, the scientists found.

Mr Swanson is developing a process to alter BanLec and make it suitable for human patients.

The researchers believe it could be used alone or in conjunction with other anti-HIV drugs.

Even modest success could potentially save millions of lives around the world, they claim.

Currently new HIV infections are outstripping the rate at which new patients receive anti-HIV drugs by 2.5 to one, say the authors.

Professor David Marvovits, from the University of Michigan Medical School, said: 'HIV is still rampant in the US and the explosion in poorer countries continues to be a bad problem because of tremendous human suffering and the cost of treating it.'

Read more: Bananas could be key to stopping spread of Aids | Mail Online

[Opera]

Bro really? just hope so as I like to eat banana, seems like need to eat more hehe

[Eoan]

Interesting. But the thing is that there are a lot of potential new research like that. Most of them just fizzle out before it becomes much of anything. It was reported that scientist found that a new type plant from South America had the potential to stop aids in its tracks. When the scientist went back to south america to collect more of the plant 1 year later, the whole place has been levelled into a plantation and they could not find the plant again. Lots of reports like this.

Gene Treatment seems like the best treatment right now and it is already in it's human subject testing phase. Hope for good results

[PEACELUVER]

no wonder never heard any monkey get aids before even they always fuck raw

[nukebomb]

Originally Posted by PEACELUVER

no wonder never heard any monkey get aids before even they always fuck raw

you very funny huh, i think elephant also likes banana, like tt also no A.I.D.S. lah.

[SCB2011]

Originally Posted by PEACELUVER

no wonder never heard any monkey get aids before even they always fuck raw

I thought AIDS originated from african primates ?

[Praetor]

Originally Posted by SCB2011

I thought AIDS originated from african primates ?

It is said to be one of the possible sources. Or could be some other diseases that mutated. Aids has been around for bout 30yrs at least but only treatment for it getting better and no cure in sight yet. Arguably, treatment is more profitable than cure.

Still, crossing fingers and hoping for aids vaccine.

[ozon7667]

Hope the Scientists can find the vaccine soon.