Studies of people infected with HIV have found that parts of the immune system are excessively stimulated while others are suppressed. One chemical produced by the immune system is TNF (tumour necrosis factor). People with HIV infection appear to produce high levels of TNF compared with healthy, non-HIV-infected subjects. Excessive levels of TNF may increase production of HIV and indirectly help to destroy T-cells. TNF may also be linked to the persistent weight loss seen in AIDS called the wasting syndrome. A number of agents which might reduce TNF levels have been proposed to test in people with HIV infection. One of those drugs is pentoxifylline (sold under the brand name Trental). Pentoxifylline has been used to improve blood circulation in humans. In laboratory experiments, the drug can increase the anti-HIV effect of ddI. We now report on results from experiments on people with HIV infection.
REFERENCES:
1. Chaldakov GN. An anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy. AIDS 1992;6(4):439- 440.
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