Product Nkabinde Mediates Cytokine Modulation and Antiviral Activity in HIV Infected MT4 Cells

During HIV infection, the immune system initiates an immune response to control the viremia. In this in vitro study, we investigated the immunomodulatory and anti-HIV potential of a traditional medicine formulation, Product Nkabinde (PN). A freeze-dried extract of PN was used to determine cytotoxicity in MT4 cells. Non-cytotoxic doses were used to evaluate the immunomodulatory and anti-HIV effects of PN using neutralization, prophylactic and treatment approaches. Post-treatment, cytokine quantification and p24 detection were performed. In the neutralization strategy, PN restored IL-1α (p = 0.0389) and IL-10 (p = 0.0443) to levels of uninfected cells. It also reduced HIV-induced elevations in IL-8 (p = 0.035), IP-10 (p = 0.0886), and MCP-1 (p = 0.0733) compared to HIV-infected cells. In the prophylactic approach, HIV infection upregulated IL-1α (p = 0.676), which was suppressed by PN. In the treatment strategy, PN reversed the elevated levels of IL-1α (p = 0.049). IL-10 was fully restored by PN to levels of uninfected cells. In all strategies, PN induced a significant and dose-dependent decrease in HIV replication. These findings demonstrate that PN exerts potent immunomodulatory effects all strategies used by reversing HIV-induced cytokine dysregulation, thereby inducing significant anti-HIV effects.