AccScience Publishing / MI / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/mi.7797
PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE

Hypochlorous acid: A multifaceted and promising therapeutic perspective against human immunodeficiency virus

Maher Monir Akl1* Amr Ahmed2
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1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
2 Department of the Public Health, Riyadh First Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Submitted: 17 December 2024 | Revised: 11 February 2025 | Accepted: 17 February 2025 | Published: 4 March 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a naturally occurring antimicrobial agent produced by neutrophils during the respiratory burst, has emerged as a potential candidate for antiviral intervention. This perspective article explores its possible therapeutic application in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment, leveraging its well-documented oxidative properties. HOCl exerts its antiviral effects through targeted oxidative modifications of key viral components, including disulfide bonds in envelope glycoproteins (gp120 and gp41), thiol-dependent viral enzymes, and lipid membranes. These modifications disrupt viral entry, replication, and maturation, potentially limiting HIV infectivity. In addition, HOCl plays a pivotal role in modulating innate immune responses by enhancing phagocytic activity and cytokine signaling, which may contribute to immune-mediated viral suppression. While existing evidence suggests that HOCl could serve as a complementary or alternative approach to conventional antiretroviral therapy, its therapeutic application in HIV remains speculative. Critical aspects such as optimal dosing, delivery mechanisms, host specificity, and long-term safety require further investigation before clinical translation can be considered. This article provides a scientific perspective on HOCl’s antiviral potential, advocating for further research to assess its feasibility and efficacy in HIV treatment.

Keywords
Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
Antiretroviral therapy
Hypochlorous acid
Opportunistic infections
Immune system depletion
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
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Microbes & Immunity, Electronic ISSN: 3029-2883 Print ISSN: 3041-0886, Published by AccScience Publishing