Microbicides for Prevention of AIDS

Microbicides as a potential intervention strategy for preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission, provide women with a preventive option against HIV. For more than two decades, various studies have endeavored to find effective and safe microbicides, which would provide defense against HIV/AIDS. Microbicides include various agents having different mechanisms such as, disruption of cellular and microbial membranes (surfactants), restoration of the natural acidic protective pH of the vagina (acid buffers), interference interactions between HIV envelope proteins and cellular receptors (anionic polymers), and anti retroviral agents. This review presents the progress in development of microbicides in prevention of spread of HIV.