In 1996 in Japan, a study of an extract of spirulina indicated that it inhibited the replication of several enveloped viruses, including herpes simplex virus type 1, human cytomegalovirus, measles and mumps virus, influenza A and HIV-1.
The study also specifies that for all these diseases, the infection process begins with a virus that attacks a cell by penetrating its membrane. However, the spirulina extract selectively prevents the virus from penetrating this membrane to infect the cell. The virus is stopped, unable to replicate, while showing great harmlessness to human cells. The body's natural defenses eventually eliminate it.
Patent applications, based on spirulina extracts, have been filed in this antiretroviral perspective against HIV1 and HIV2.
Spirulina is therefore of major interest in carriers of the HIV virus, both by its action on the virus itself, and on other viral or bacterial infections present in these immune-deficient subjects. Finally, as a food supplement of particular richness. According to the WHO, "micronutrient deficiencies are a significant problem for people living with HIV. An increased risk of opportunistic infections". The WHO therefore recommends "a diet providing the full range of essential micronutrients". The preventive effect of spirulina has also been studied. American scientists believe that spirulina could become "the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) of the poor".
Based on the various epidemiological studies on HIV/AIDS indicating that seaweed inhibits HIV in vitro and in vivo, the researchers hypothesize that the daily consumption of seaweed is the common characteristic of countries where the rate of HIV /AIDS is "abnormally low", like Japan, Korea or, even more conclusively, the populations on the shores of Lake Chad.
