Effect of cacao husk extract on human immunodeficiency virus infection.

A sodium hydroxide extract from cacao husk inhibited the cytopathic effect of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) against HTLV-1-transformed T-cell lines MT-2 and MT-4. It also inhibited syncytium formation between HIV-infected and uninfected lymphoblastoid T-cell line, MOLT-4. The anti-HIV activity was concentrated by membrane filter fractionation to a fraction with molecular weight of 100-300 KDa. Anti-HIV activity of the extract was attributable to interference with the virus adsorption, rather than to inhibition of the virus replication after adsorption.