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Ancient snakebite treatment may harbour cure for HIV

By , From net, Date: 2008-01-03 15:26:58

September 25 : Scientists from Australia, Europe and the US have found that a Chinese herb, which has been used to treat snakebites and boils for centuries, has the potential to fight HIV/AIDS.

The researchers say that an Asian violet known as Viola yedoensis contains tiny proteins that appear to kill off infected cells. Such anti-HIV and anti-bacterial qualities, say the researchers, make the plant a target for new drug therapies to treat the HIV virus.

While presenting their findings at COMBIO 2007, a meeting of biochemistry and molecular biology specialists in Sydney, researchers at the University of Queensland said that the plant contains small proteins called cyclotides that might act as defensive agents.

The researchers tested the ability of the cyclotides by applying them to two sets of cells