Researchers create vaginal cream using silver nanoparticles to control transmition of HIV

The product has proven efficiency in lab tests, although clinical trials are yet to be performed.

After discovering that silver nanoparticles are capable of blocking the entry of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) into the organism, a group of researchers from the University of Texas, in collaboration with Humberto Lara Villegas, specialist in nanoparticles and virology from the University of Monterrey, Mexico (UDEM), create a vaginal cream to control the transmition of the virus.

Lara Villegas explained that HIV makes its entry to immune cells (CD4) of the organism with the aid of a protein known as GP120, which allows the virus adherence to the cells. This same principle is used by silver nanoparticles to attach themselves to this protein and block it, turning the virus inactive.

The Mexican researcher informed that the cream has been tested in samples of human tissue and has proven the efficiency of silver nanoparticles to avoid the transmition of the virus through cervical mucous membrane.

The researcher from UDEM, who has worked in Israel and The United States, assured that after applied, the cream starts to work in less than a minute, and has an effective protection of up to 72 hours.

Given that the function of this product is the inactivation of the virus, although this is a vaginal cream, will also protect the sexual partner.

"Normally - he highlighted-, the medication used against the virus act within the cell to avoid its replication. This is a very different case, given that the nanoparticle goes directly against the HIV and no longer allows its entry to the cell".

So far, no toxicity of the silver nanoparticles has been reported, although he added that research is yet to be performed to evaluate the possible side effects of silver properties.  

"Right now, I am certain that this microbicide is going to avoid the virus entering the organism, but I cannot yet assure that is totally harmless, because the clinical trials are a long and expensive process", the researched added.

He exposed that the use of gels are usually accompanied by irritation, which favors the entry of the virus, which is why the cream was enriched with an anti-inflammatory effect.

Currently, with the obtained results, researchers will proceed to perform experimentation in mice that accept human cells, to later begin with human clinical trials.

He added that this cream could prevent the transmition of other sexually acquired virus like the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Likewise, he considered that silver nanoparticles could be used to combat bacteria transmitted the same way.

He forwarded that his research team is working in a diagnosis kit that predicts within hours, through blood tests, the resistance of a seropositive person to antiretroviral treatment, results that will help the physician to prescribe the most adequate treatment to the person that lives with HIV.

"Currently we can give this results but we are working in preliminary tests and require to study a lot of seropositive patients to calibrate this kit", he concluded.

Source: University of Monterrey