Dietary algae and HIV/AIDS: proof of concept clinical data

• Published in: Journal of applied phycology Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 575 - 582
• Main Authors: Teas, J, Irhimeh, M. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.06.2012; Springer Netherlands
• Subjects: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; acute toxicity; adverse effects; African Americans; Arthrospira platensis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Ecology; females; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; immune response; Latinos; Life Sciences; macroalgae; males; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; quality of life; Spirulina; Spirulina platensis; Undaria; Undaria pinnatifida; viral load; Japan; Korean Peninsula; Chad; Korea, Rep; INW, Japan; Seaweed; Clinical trial; CD4 T cells; HIV viral load; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0921-8971; 1573-5176
• DOI: 10.1007/s10811-011-9766-0

Dietary algae have been reported to decrease HIV viral fusion/entry and replication and increase immune response, suggesting that regular consumption of algae by people in Japan, Korea, and Chad could be an important factor in their relatively low HIV/AIDS rates. Five antiretroviral-naïve people with HIV (three females, two males; five African Americans) living in Columbia SC participated in the phase I study of acute toxicity. Subjects were randomly assigned to 5 g day-1 brown seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida), Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), or a combination of both. Endpoints included HIV viral load, complete blood count (CBC), metabolic and lipid panel, and quality of life questionnaire data. When no short-term toxicities were observed, six additional subjects (four females, two males; five African Americans, one Latina) were recruited to further evaluate short- and long-term toxicities (phase II). No adverse effects were observed for the 11 subjects in the phase I trial, and quality of life indicators improved at 3 weeks. No significant changes were observed in CBC, metabolic or lipid panel analyses. CD4 cells (milliliters) and HIV-1 viral load remained stable over the first 3-month phase II study period. One subject continued in the study for 13 months and had clinically significant improvement in CD4 (>100 cells mL−1) and decreased HIV viral load of 0.5 log10. Our pilot data suggest that Undaria, Spirulina, and a combination of both were nontoxic and over time may improve clinical endpoints of HIV/AIDS.