Assessment of Antiretroviral Effects of a Synthetic Aluminum-magnesium Silicate
Maduike CO. Ezeibe *
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
Augustine A. Ngene
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
Idika K. Kalu
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
Ikenna O. Ezeh
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
Ijeoma J. Mbuko
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
Jonathan O. Ekwuruke
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
Ifeanyi Anene
Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria.
Bridget Amechi
Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria.
Peter Olowoniyi
Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria.
Idika F. Ifekwe
Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: For an affordable therapy for Human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) infections, antiretroviral effects of a synthetic aluminum-magnesium silicate (AMS) were tested.
Materials and Methods: Plasma that tested positive to HIV and the AMS were mixed, on equal volume to weight basis, incubated one hour at room temperature and centrifuged for ten minutes at 3,000 revolutions per minute. These procedures were repeated on each supernatant. HIV titres of the two sets of supernatants and the titres in portions of the plasma, not incubated with the AMS were assessed by direct passive hemagglutination test.
Results: Mean HIV titres of the plasma increased from 4.00±1.60 to 14.00±2.00 when incubated with the AMS. Repeating the incubation, reduced mean HIV titres in plasma from 14.00±2.00 to 6.50±1.50 (P=0.024).
Conclusion: It was concluded that the AMS has antiretroviral effects and could be an inexpensive antiretroviral therapy for regular treatment to reduce high rate of HIV infection among low income groups.
Keywords: Opposite electrical charges, human immune deficiency virus, aluminum-magnesium silicate (Nanoparticles).