Pincone Extract Update

Takayama H, Bradley G, Lai PK, Tamura Y, Sakagami H, Tanaka A, Nonoyama M. Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus forward and reverse transcription by PC6, a natural product from cones of pine trees. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1991 Mar;7(3):349-57. PubMed PMID: 2064832.

Summary:

The pinecone extract, PC6, was found to inhibit HIV-1 forward and reverse transcription.

Published Abstract:

We have previously shown that PC6, a natural product extracted from cones of Pinus parviflora Sieb et Zucc, can inhibit the replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in CD4+ T cells and in monocyte/macrophage cell lines. Here, we show by immunoprecipitation of HIV-1 proteins with a specific pooled serum that PC6 inhibited the expression of all HIV-1 proteins in CEM cells. PC6 did not affect the posttranslational processing of the HIV-1 proteins. Northern, Southern, and kinetics analyses revealed that PC6 inhibited HIV-1 reverse and forward transcription in CEM cells. Transient transfection of CEM cells with HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) linked CAT DNA also showed that PC6 inhibited LTR-driven gene expression at the transcriptional level.