In Vitro HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibition by Alkaloids Isolated from Leaves of Eclipta Alba

The study aimed to find low-cost alternatives to anti-HIV/AIDS treatments by isolating alkaloids from Eclipta alba leaves and testing their activity against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. The alkaloids were extracted and tested using various assays, including the MTT assay and HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Capture ELISA. The isolated alkaloid demonstrated 89% inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcription with an IC50 of 5 µg/ml and showed no cytotoxic activity with IC50 values higher than 100 µg/ml. These findings supported the potential use of E. alba alkaloids as antiviral agents, suggesting they could be developed into therapeutic drugs for viral diseases.