Antioxidant Phytochemicals and Immune Modulation in HIV/AIDS: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Clinical Relevance

Odile Patrick Thalia

Faculty of Biological Sciences Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is characterized by persistent immune activation, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress, which collectively accelerate CD4+ T-cell depletion and contribute to progressive immune dysfunction. Oxidative stress, arising from excessive production of reactive oxygen species and impaired antioxidant defenses, plays a pivotal role in enhancing viral replication, disrupting cellular immunity, and driving the onset of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, neurocognitive impairment, and metabolic disorders in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Despite the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in suppressing viral replication and extending lifespan, ART itself can exacerbate mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative injury, underscoring the need for adjunctive therapeutic strategies. Antioxidant phytochemicals-bioactive compounds naturally present in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices-have attracted attention due to their potent free radical scavenging capacity, ability to restore redox balance, and immunomodulatory effects. Compounds such as flavonoids, carotenoids, and polyphenols have been shown to modulate key signaling pathways, reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and protect immune cells from oxidative damage. This review examines the mechanistic basis of oxidative stress in HIV pathogenesis, summarizes experimental and clinical evidence on the role of phytochemicals in mitigating redox imbalance, and discusses their clinical relevance. Finally, it highlights research gaps and future directions for incorporating antioxidant phytochemicals into comprehensive HIV management strategies.

Keywords: Antioxidant phytochemicals, Oxidative stress, HIV/AIDS, Immune modulation, Reactive oxygen species (ROS), Polyphenols and flavonoids, Redox homeostasis

CITE AS: Odile Patrick Thalia (2026). Antioxidant Phytochemicals and Immune Modulation in HIV/AIDS: Mechanisms,

Evidence, and Clinical Relevance. IDOSR JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

12(1):7-12. https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSR/JST/26/113.712