Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become a worldwide pandemic since its first report in 1981 in the United States.
It is a virally transmitted infectious disease with an especially high prevalence rate in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
More than 34 million people are living with HIV globally.
Despite much progress in anti-HIV therapy over the past two decades, the quest for safe and efficacious antiretroviral drugs remains elusive since current chemotherapeutic strategies are associated with significant adverse effects and the emergence of multidrug resistance.
Natural product alternatives to synthetic drugs remain a desirable option even if such approaches are not yet viable.
The urgency to replenish the anti-HIV armamentarium has provided impetus for the continued discovery of natural product lead molecules that possess potent antiretroviral activity to bolster the current pipeline of agents under development.
Natural products are regarded as vital sources for drug discovery in terms of their diversified chemical structures as well as their functional roles in living organisms.