Lemon juice is a HIV-killing spermicide

Laboratory tests show that lemon juice is a potent destroyer of both HIV and sperm, Australian researchers say.

A solution of 10 per cent lemon juice produced a 1000-fold reduction in HIV activity in a lab sample. And half a teaspoon of the juice wiped out two teaspoons of sperm in 30 seconds. The high acidity of the juice is responsible for killing HIV and sperm. Thus lemon juice could be ideal for women without easy access to safe barrier contraceptives, such as condoms, says the team at Melbourne University, led by Roger Short.

The great advantage of lemon or lime juice as an anti-viral contraceptive is that the fruit can be grown very cheaply in the developing world, says Short. Women might use the juice by inserting a soaked piece of sponge or cotton wool before intercourse, he says. 

Women researchers in Short’s lab said using the juice caused no pain. In fact, this method of contraception was widespread in the Mediterranean before the advent of modern methods.

But experts in anti-AIDS medications warn that the safety of using the juice internally and its efficacy in people are as yet unknown.

Number of males using tobacco globally on the decline

Every year, more than 8 million people die from tobacco use, approximately half of its users. More than 7 million of those deaths are from direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Most tobacco-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, areas that are targets of intensive tobacco industry interference and marketing.

Now for the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) projects that the number of males using tobacco is on the decline, indicating a powerful shift in the global tobacco epidemic and is projected to decline by more than 1 million fewer male users come 2020 (or 1.091 billion) compared to 2018 levels and 5 million less by 2025 (1.087 billion).

By 2020, WHO projects there will be 10 million fewer tobacco users, male and female, compared to 2018 and another 27 million less by 2025, amounting to 1.299 billion. Indeed, some 60% of countries have been experiencing a decline in tobacco use since 2010.

“Reductions in global tobacco use demonstrate that when governments introduce and strengthen their comprehensive evidence-based actions, they can protect the well-being of their citizens and communities,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO.