BANANAS can combat AIDS.....

The humble banana may hold the key to powerful new treatments that protect against the AIDS virus.

The lectin remedy

In laboratory tests, scientists found that a banana ingredient called BanLec was as potent as two existing anti-HIV drugs. They believe cheap therapies based on BanLec have the potential to save millions of lives. The ingredient is a lectin, a naturally occurring chemical in plants that fights infection.

Researchers in the US found that the lectin found in bananas can inhibit HIV infection by blocking the virus's entry into the body. BanLec acts on the protein 'envelope' that encloses HIV's genetic material.

Overcoming HIV resistance

Lead author Michael Swanson, from the University of Michigan, said, "The problem with some HIV drugs is that the virus can mutate and become resistant, but that's much harder to do in the presence of lectins. Lectins can bind to the sugars found on different spots of the HIV-1 envelope, and presumably it will take multiple mutations for the virus to get around them."

BanLec was as effective in the laboratory as two anti-HIV drugs now in use, T-20 and maraviroc, the scientists found. Swanson is developing a process to alter BanLec and make it suitable for human patients. The researchers believe it could be used alone or in conjunction with other anti-HIV drugs. Even modest success could potentially save millions of lives around the world, they claim.

Currently new HIV infections are outstripping the rate at which new patients receive anti-HIV drugs by 2.5 to one, say the authors.

How eating bananas can make you healthy Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia The fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief Bananas can also help you to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system