Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
OTHER AGENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF AIDS
AIDS: Etiology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention. Second Edition. DeVita VT Jr et al, eds. Philadelphia, Lippincott, p. 295-303, 1988.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/89650912 Polsky B; Armstrong D; Cornell Univ. Medical Coll., New York, NY
Abstract:
Compounds other than nucleoside analogs have shown activity against HIV infection in vitro and have entered the early stages of clinical evaluation. Treatments other than zidovudine (AZT) for HIV infection are described according to their supposed site of activity, including attachment and penetration (AL-721 [active lipid], peptide T, castanospermine, amphotericin B methyl ester, and gossypol); reverse transcription (suramin, antimoniotungstate [heteropolyanion-23, HPA-23], phosphonoformate [Foscarnet], and rifabutin); transactivation and transcription (oligonucleotides); post-transcriptional processing and translation (Ampligen and fusidic acid); assembly and release (interferons, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor); and those with uncertain sites of action (biologic response modifiers [interleukin-2, isoprinosine, imuthiol, and imreg], D-penicillamine, and bone marrow transplantation [immune system replacement]). The role of treatments with activity against HIV other than nucleoside analogs remains to be defined. However, some conclusions can be drawn. Alpha-IFN has a niche in the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma and may be of value when used with an antiretroviral agent. Treatment with suramin, the first anti-HIV agent studied, has not been associated with any improvement and it is highly toxic. No further studies with HIV-infected individuals are planned. For some agents, reproducible evidence of in vitro anti-HIV activity is lacking. In addition, activity in vitro does not necessarily translate into clinical efficacy. Evidence for synergistic inhibition of HIV in vitro is encouraging and paves the way for clinical study of combination chemotherapy for HIV infection. Because the natural history of HIV infection is variable, anecdotal reports of efficacy are hard to evaluate. For this reason, new agents should be tested in carefully controlled trials. (78 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*THERAPY Antiviral Agents/*THERAPEUTIC USE Biological Factors/THERAPEUTIC USE Human HIV/*DRUG EFFECTS/PHYSIOLOGY Protein Processing, Post-Translational/DRUG EFFECTS Receptors, Virus/DRUG EFFECTS RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase/ANTAGONISTS & INHIB Transcription, Genetic/DRUG EFFECTS Virus Replication/DRUG EFFECTS MONOGRAPH REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIAL
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
