RT Journal Article
T1 Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) inhibits HIV-1 infection through the activity of thiadiazole alkaloids in viral integration.
A1 Apaza Ticona, Luis Nestor
A1 Bermejo Benito, Paulina
A1 Guerra Guirao, José Antonio
A1 Bedoya Del Olmo, Luis Miguel
A1 Beltrán, Manuela
A1 Moraga, Elisa
A1 Cossio, David
A1 Alcamí, José
AB Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) has been traditionally used for centuries in the Central Andes region both as food and as medicine. In the last decades, its fertility enhancer properties have gained importance, with the majority of the scientific literature related to this topic. However, other traditional uses are less known as metabolic or infectious diseases.AIM OF THE STUDY: The main purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-infectious activity of L. meyenii, specifically in HIV-1 infection. There are previous reports of the transcriptional related activity of L. meyenii extracts in human T lymphocytes via transcription factors as NF-κB. Since T lymphocytes are the main target of HIV-1 infection and NF-κB is strongly involved in HIV-1 transcription, L. meyenii could display antiviral activity.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Chromatography and spectroscopy techniques were used to isolate and identify the compounds in the active extracts. An antiviral assay system based on recombinant viruses was used to evaluate the anti-HIV activity. Cell toxicity was tested for all the extracts and compounds. Viral entry was studied using VSV-HIV chimera viruses and reverse transcription and viral integration were studied by qPCR of viral DNA in infected cells. Finally, viral transcription was studied in primary lymphocytes transfected with HIV-1 or NF-κB luciferase reporter plasmids.RESULTS: n-Hexane extracts of purple maca displayed anti-HIV activity in an in vitro assay. A bioassay-guided fractionation led to the identification of three thiadiazole alkaloids with antiviral activity. All the compounds were able to inhibit HIV infection of MT-2 cell lines and primary lymphocytes (PBMCs) with IC values in the low micromolar range. The mechanism of action differs between the three compounds: one of them showed activity on viral entry, and all the three compounds inhibited viral integration at low concentrations. Remarkably, none of the compounds inhibited reverse transcription or viral transcription.CONCLUSIONS: n-Hexane extracts of the purple ecotype of L. meyenii inhibit HIV-1 infection in vitro and three active thiadiazole alkaloids were isolated acting mainly on viral integration and viral entry.
PB Elsevier
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/122308
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/122308
LA eng
NO Apaza-Ticona L, Beltrán M, Moraga E, Cossio D, Bermejo P, Guerra JA, Alcamí J, Bedoya LM. Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) inhibits HIV-1 infection through the activity of thiadiazole alkaloids in viral integration. J Ethnopharmacol. 2024 Dec 5;335:118613. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118613. Epub 2024 Jul 23. PMID: 39047879.
NO Instituto de Salud Carlos III (España)
NO European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
DS Docta Complutense
RD 1 ene 2026