Olive Leaf polyphenols may inhibit the HIV-1 virus in a unique manner

The HIV-1 virus does not have DNA, it only has RNA, yet it needs DNA to infect and multiply. The virus uses an enzyme known as integrase to combine its genetic material into that of the infected cell. Drugs used to control the AIDS virus inhibit the combining activity of genetic material at various levels typically by inhibiting an enzyme known as reverse transcriptase (this enzyme allows the retroviruses like HIV to create DNA by using RNA as the template).

Recently scientists from the Department of Biochemistry, NYU School of Medicine, have discovered that the polyphenols in the olive leaf, both Oleuropein and Hydroxytyrosol have a unique ability to inhibit the infectivity of the HIV-1 virus. The polyphenols inhibit the ability of the virus to fuse with our DNA and integrate the genetic materials. The olive leaf ingredients bind to important receptor sites on the virus interfering with the integrase activity. The research is published in the January 24th, 2007 issue of Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.

Coenzyme Q10 may help protect the liver from acetaminophen toxicity

The pain relieving, fever reducing drug acetaminophen (APAP) is responsible for up to 51% of all cases of acute (sudden) liver failure in the US. In this study giving mice larger doses of APAP caused an increase in the liver enzyme ALT; an indication of liver injury. Giving APAP increased the level of circulating inflammatory-free radicals in the animals. This was accompanied by a loss of the antioxidant form of Coenzyme Q10. The level of reduced glutathione was also decreased in the animals? liver. Giving the animals Coenzyme Q10 before the APAP reduced the level of inflammatory-free radicals in their liver and significantly reduced any increase in ALT (liver enzyme) showing a decreased level of liver injury. Pre-treating with Vitamin E also helped protect the liver. The research was performed at Hiroshima University School of Medicine and is published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 1995;19(2). Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph. ? even though this is an older study I thought it was interesting because recent research indicates that acetaminophen depletes Coenzyme Q10.