25 Nov Antiviral effects
It has been demonstrated from in vitro and in vivo animal experiments that Spirulina contain bioactive molecules with antiviral activities.
The ability of viruses to infect specific cell types is due in part to the property of viral proteins known as viral attachment proteins to specifically interact with particular cellular receptors of cell surface.
Therefore, any interference affecting the binding between viral and cell proteins will impair the virus infection.
Major constituents of Spirulina with antiviral activity are certain polysaccharides such as sulfated polysaccharides (calcium spirulan and polysaccharides related to spirulan) and a high Molecular Weight polysaccharide not containing sulfate groups (Immulina), thioglycolipids, allophycocyanin and a carbohydrate-binding protein (CBP).
In vitro studies with calcium-spirulan has shown effective antiviral activity against a host of enveloped viruses such as Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), measlevirus, mumpsvirus, influenza A virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1).
Spirulina sulfolipids and the protein CBP were effective against HIV viruses, while allophycocyanin against enterovirus 71.
In vivo animal studies have shown that Spirulina extracts were active against HSV-1 while they interfered with the neuroinvasiveness property of HSV-2.
An intriguing epidemiological finding concerning HIV/AIDS incidence and prevalence has been reported after analysis of the epidemiological data together with alga consumption.
It has been revealed that the incidence rate of HIV/AIDS is low in regions with high alga consumption (3-13 g/day) as in Chad.
Thus, a hypothesis has been proposed that a regular consumption of Spirulina could prevent HIV infection and reduce the viral load among those infected (**21, **29, **32).
(**) Literature on the subject
