Important note: Information in this article was accurate in August 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Certain nukes, particularly ddC, ddI and d4T, can damage Mt inside nerve cells. In fact, according to doctors in London, England, between 11 and 55% of people using these drugs can develop a form of nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy (PN). There is currently no cure for PN, the symptoms of which may include numbness, tingling or shooting pains in the hands, legs and feet.
Researchers have found that PHAs tend to have less-than-normal levels of the amino acid acetylcarnitine in their blood. Previous laboratory experiments have also found that L-acetylcarnitine is useful at helping damaged nerves repair themselves. In light of these results, the doctors in London decided to conduct a pilot study of L-acetylcarnitine in PHAs with peripheral neuropathy.
The doctors enrolled five HIV-positive subjects who had been diagnosed with HIV drug-related PN. Subjects took 1500 mg of L-acetylcarnitine twice daily by mouth for six months. Analysis of tissue samples found a huge increase in the growth of nerve fibres as well as a decrease in PN symptoms. At the end of six months, subjects stopped taking the supplement and were monitored by doctors for another six months. During months six to 12, symptoms of PN reappeared and nerve growth decreased. These doctors recommend that oral L-acetylcysteine be used as a therapy for HIV drug-related PN.
1. Famularo G, Moretti S, Marcellini S, et al. Acetyl-carnitine deficiency in AIDS patients with neurotoxicity on treatment with antiretroviral nucleoside analogues. AIDS 1997;11(2):185-90.
2. Hart AM, Terenghi G, Johnson M and Youle M. L-acetyl-carnitine therapy in HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy: a quantitative immunohistochemical study of cutaneous innervation. Poster 45.
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