Investigating the Inhibitory Potential of Amentoflavone against HIV-1 Protease: A Molecular Docking Study

This study investigates the potential of natural compounds against HIV-1 protease, a critical enzyme in the replication cycle of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). HIV-1 protease is essential for cleaving large precursor proteins into smaller functional proteins necessary for viral maturation and infectivity. Protease inhibitors, specifically targeting HIV-1 protease, effectively suppress viral replication, aiding in the management of HIV infection. Using the SWISS DOCK Server, several natural compounds were investigated for their potential as inhibitors of HIV-1 protease. Docking results revealed that Amentoflavone showed excellent binding affinity with high Estimated ΔG values, suggesting its potential as an inhibitor of HIV-1 protease. Additionally, Amentoflavone exhibited similar promising results when tested against Roussarcoma virus protease. These findings indicate the potential of Amentoflavone as a natural compound against HIV and warrant further investigation into its therapeutic applications.