Researchers have reported that a gel, which makes use of an anti-HIV drug ‘Tenofovir’ to defend women from the AIDS virus, is harmless as well as tolerable to women.

The study by scientists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Pittsburgh to examine the gel’s safety involved 200 sexually active HIV-negative women aged between 19 to 50, out of which 64% were married.

Craig Hoesley, one of the authors of the Phase II trial said, “The gel is safe to use, and well tolerated by HIV-negative women. That's a key message in our findings.”

“This sets the stage for larger studies to see if tenofovir can prevent HIV infection,” Mr. Hoesley added.

The drug Tenofovir, sold under the name Viread by Gilead Sciences Inc., is an antiviral drug known as nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor that works against HIV by obstructing the virus' capacity to reproduce and develop within the human body.

The study researchers stated that the women showed great tolerance to the gel.

80% of the women asked to apply gel before sex told that they followed the instructions, and 83% instructed to apply gel daily said that they had done so in the week prior.

If the gel were proven supportive to stop HIV infection, over 90% of the women said they would seriously think about using the gel to shield their sexual health.

Women more at risk from AIDS infection as compared to men, currently protect themselves mainly by depending upon male consent to wear a condom.