Effect of cacao husk extract on human immunodeficiency virus infection

Abstract

A sodium hydroxide extract from cacao husk inhibited the cytopathic effect of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) against HTLV‐1‐transformed T‐cell lines MT‐2 and MT‐4. It also inhibited syncytium formation between HIV‐infected and uninfected lymphoblastoid T‐cell line, MOLT‐4. The anti‐HIV activity was concentrated by membrane filter fractionation to a fraction with molecular weight of 100–300 KDa. Anti‐HIV activity of the extract was attributable to interference with the virus adsorption, rather than to inhibition of the virus replication after adsorption.