Proposed schematic representation of anti-HIV activity of luteolin.

<p>After HIV-1 DNA integration into host genome, viral genes are expressed under the control of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) as a promoter with the help of viral regulatory protein Tat, which binds with TAR RNA element in the 5′ end of LTR. Luteolin may abrogate Tat-mediated LTR transactivation activity by interfering with pTEF-b binding with LTR or abolish Tat binding; it also may prevent NF-κB activation or inhibition of host factors involved in transcription or inhibition of viral mRNA translation.