Plant Coumarins with Anti-HIV Activity: Isolation and Mechanisms of Action

Abstract

This review summarizes and systematizes the literature on the anti-HIV activity of plant coumarins with emphasis on isolation and the mechanism of their antiviral action. This review summarizes the information on the anti-HIV properties of simple coumarins as well as annulated furano- and pyranocoumarins and shows that coumarins of plant origin can act by several mechanisms: inhibition of HIV reverse transcriptase and integrase, inhibition of cellular factors that regulate HIV-1 replication, and transmission of viral particles from infected macrophages to healthy ones. It is important to note that some pyranocoumarins are able to act through several mechanisms or bind to several sites, which ensures the resistance of these compounds to HIV mutations. Here we review the last two decades of research on the anti-HIV activity of naturally occurring coumarins.