bananas be the key to stopping the spread of HIV? Some researchers believe they may be. They’ve learned that BanLec, a kind of lectin naturally found in bananas, binds to the sugary envelope that encases the HIV virus, thus blocking its entry into the body. It was even more efficient in preventing the spread of the virus in diagnostic tests than two synthetic HIV drugs currently available on the market. So what’s the next step? Researchers will work on a way to allow it to be right into a kind of vaginal or anal microbicide ointment. They feel that a cheap, effective, self-applied BanLec ointment prevents up to 2.5 million HIV infections in 3 years. Now that’s bananas! [MNN]