Fridae

Biologists at the University of Texas Medical Branch have recently released findings that certain brands of lubricant are actually anti-HIV and has a very high rate of killing the virus. Lab tests conducted on 22 brands available in stores showed that the popular Astroglide brand almost completely eliminated the HIV virus. They reported their findings in the July 20 issue of the AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses journal.

Experts are quick to caution the public not to take any unnecessary risks until full research is done on human subjects. They stress that lubricants alone should not be used in lieu of safe sex. But the current data looks very promising.

The scientists also discovered that two brands of lubricants for women - Silken Secret and Vagisil Intimate Moisture - also had the same HIV killing properties. All three brands contain two chemicals that apparently target the membranes of the virus and infected cells, says study author Dr Samuel Baron. While the researcher declined to name the chemicals, he mentioned that they helped increase the slipperiness and thickness of the lubricants.

Using semen infected with HIV, analysis showed that the three lubricants were highly effective - destroying 99.9% of the virus. Only one in every thousand cells was left alive.

Last year, the Texas researchers are also credited with discovering that saliva kills the HIV virus, which explains why oral transmission while kissing is uncommon.

According to Dr Baron, the University of Texas paid for the initial research costs. After preliminary results were releases, two lubricant companies came forward to offer funding. The next step, he says, is to begin human testing. Estimates put the cost for this research in the area of $3 million.