BanLec

Other Names : BanLec-I, Banana lectin
is a lectin from the jacalin-related lectin family isolated from the fruit of the bananas Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.BanLec is one of the predominant proteins in the pulp of ripe bananas[3] and has binding specificity for mannose and mannose-containing oligosaccharides.
See also : Bananas

Benefits and uses of BanLec are

• HIV : In 2010, BanLec was reported to be a potent inhibitor of HIV replication.Researchers at the University of Michigan determined that BanLec bound to the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120, which is high in sugar content, inhibiting viral entry into human cells.The researchers suggest that such an inhibitor of HIV infection may find use as a topical treatment, such as a vaginal microbicide, and may be cheaper to produce than current antiviral topical treatments.
• Cancer