ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-HIV activity and cytotoxic effects of Aerva lanata root extracts. Extracts were prepared in hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol solvents by sequential maceration method and the extract was filtered mass was obtained at low room temperature under pressure in a rotary vaccum evaporator. Anti-HIV activity of the all solvent extracts of Aerva lanata root done by Retro Sys HIV-1 RT activity kit (Innovagen, Sweden). Cytoxicity study was performed on all extracts by MTT assay using PBMCs isolated from whole blood. All extracts exhibited the most notable activity and the chloroform extract of Aerva lanata showing highest (91.0%) HIV-RT inhibition at 2mg/ml concentration, hexane, ethyl acetate and acetone extractions showed highest inhibition of HIV-RT at 2 mg/ml concentration (86.9, 85.2 and 77.5 respectively). While control drug (AZT) showing 91.7% at 2mg/ml concentration. IC50 value of all extracts determined below 40mg/ml. This result suggests that Aerva lanata root extracts contains medicinally important bioactive compounds and this justifies the use of plant species as traditional medicine for treatment of various infectious diseases. Keywords: HIV-RT, AIDS, PBMC’s, Cytotoxicity, Aerva lanata References 1. UN-AIDS. Global report 2012. 2. Vermani K, Garg S. Herbal medicines for sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2002; 80: 49–66. 3. Calabrese C, Berman SH, Babish JG, Ma X,Shinto L, Dorr M, Wells K, Wenner CA,Standish LJ. (2000). A phase I trial of andrographolide in HIV positive patients and normal volunteers. Phytother Res 2000; 14: 333-338. 4. Hammar L, Hirsch I, Machado AA, De Mareuil J, Baillon JG, Bolmont C, Chermann JC. Lectin-mediated effects on HIV type 1 infection in vitro. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 1995; 11:87-95. 5. Lin YM, Anderson H, Flavin MT, Pai YH, Mata-Greenwood E, Pengsuparp T, Pezzuto JM, Schinazi RF, Hughes SH, Chen FC. In vitro anti-HIV activity of biflavonoids isolated from Rhus succedanea and Garcinia multiflora. J Nat Prod 1997; 60: 884-888. 6. Kalvatchev Z, Walder R, Garzard D. Anti HIV activity extracts from Calendula officinalis flowers. Biomedical Pharmacotherapy 1997; 51: 176-180. 7. Mlinarie A, Kreft S. Umek A. (2000). Screening of selected plant extracts for invitro inhibitory activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Die Pharmazie 2000; 55(1): 75-77