One pill makes you larger And one pill makes you small, And the ones that mother gives you Don t do anything at all... - Jefferson Airplane White Rabbit (1967)[1] A bill now before Congress, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1993, has attracted considerable attention within the AIDS community and els
Do not rely on only one source to make your decision. Discuss potential treatment options with your health care providers and friends. If your doctor will not engage in a dialogue about alternative therapies, you may want to consider changing doctors or consulting with another physician. Getting a new doctor may not be
Oxidative stress has emerged in recent years as a suspected component in the pathogenesis of HIV disease. Increasing numbers of researchers agree that even in the earliest stages of infection, a deleterious reductive-oxidative (redox) imbalance may occur, This means that increased damage causing reactive oxygen interme
The little research that has been done on traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of HIV and AIDS shows promise in a number of areas that Western medicine has been unsuccessful in treating. A combination of different medical approaches may be the most effective way to treat conditions, such as AIDS, that no one
INTRODUCTION Vitamins are a diverse group of chemically unrelated compounds, present in food at minute levels, that are necessary for normal human function. By definition, the deficiency of a vitamin causes disease. Minerals are also critical to human life in minute amounts and they differ from vitamins only in that th
Jane Buckle is the Director of Research Coordination at the Research Council on Complementary Medicine in London, a private British charity that conducts and advocates for research on alternative medicine. Derek Link spoke with Ms. Buckle on November 30, 1993, in New York City. TREATMENT ISSUES: What is the RCCM? What
Sho-Saiko-To (SSKT) is a central formula in Chinese medicine. It is readily available in many countries in Asia. While SSKT is a combination of seven ingredients in precise proportion, the most active component is speculated to be Scutellariae from which baicalein is derived. Baicalein has been synthesized in a highly
Shiitake Mushrooms (Lentinan edodes) are a traditional Oriental herbal remedy (and currently a popular haute cuisine ingredient) and being used in the process of making LEM (Lentinan edodes mycelia). LEM is the active component incubated in water to allow digestion of mycelial enzymes. The digest of mycelia enzymes is
Shark cartilage is rich in an angiogenesis inhibiting protein called Cartilage- derived Inhibitor. Angiogenesis is the process whereby new blood vessels are formed to feed cancer, particularly solid tumors, such as Kaposi s sarcoma.[1, 2] In June 1992, a small community-based study of shark cartilage as a monotherapy t
In 1989 researchers from the University of California, Davis, isolated the active component of the herb Prunella vulgaris and named it Prunellin. [1] The herb is a member of the family Labiatae , which is commonly known as Self-heal and was once used to treat cuts and wounds. Test tube studies with Prunellin blocked ce
PCM-4 is a product combining two components purported to have immunomodulating effects. The two components are an extract ( P ) from the porcine spleen and a highly concentrated form of Siberian ginseng. The oral dosage of these two extracts was developed by Dr. Nicholaus Weger in Munich, West Germany
The seeds of milk thistle or, silybum marianum, have been considered by some to have liver protecting properties. Proponents of milk thystle point to the British herbalist Culpepper who suggested the ingestion of milk thistle roots and seeds for jaundice (a yellow pigmentation of the eyes and skin which may indicate li
Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) is the most well known of a type of acidophilus bacteria (bacteria attracted to acid). It has been suggested that L. acidophilus is a beneficial or so-called friendly bacteria which provides an important function in the body. Live cultures of L. acidophilus can be found in a n
Iscador is a trade name for an extract of European mistletoe (Viscum album). Used since the 1960s in Europe as an anti-cancer agent, Iscador is purported to possesses both anti-tumor and immune-stimulatory properties.[1] A 1986 study of Iscador in breast cancer patients showed drug dependent increases in red and white
Hypericin , an extract of the St. John s Wort (Hypericin perforatum) plant, is believed to inhibit the replication of cells already infected with HIV.[1] Other test tube studies suggest that hypericin works to inactivate HIV virions or interferes with either the assembly or shedding of viral particles.[2] This mechani
The dried extract of young barley green leaves ( green barley leaf extract ) is widely used in Japan and other countries as a nutritional supplement. Green barley leaf extract (GBLE) is reported to contain high levels of superoxide dismutase, a potent antioxidant.[1] Studies of GBLE, almost all of which have been condu
Glycyrrhizin is a substance isolated from the root of the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza radix). It is widely used in Japan and is reported to have benefits in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B . Some studies suggest that glycyrrhizin may have anti-HIV properties[2] and may enhance the production of natural k
Ginseng root is an herb that has been used extensively throughout Southeast Asia and China for various treatments. There are three different families of ginseng: the Oriental and American ginsengs ( Panax ginseng ), the Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), and the desert ginseng (Rumex hymenosepalus). For tho
Germanium-132 (Ge-132) is a mineral composed of the elements germanium, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. High levels of the mineral are found in ginseng, and high levels of the element germanium are found in garlic, comfrey, and watercress. Ge-132 is claimed to have immunostimulatory and antioxidant properties. In an ani
Garlic (Allium sativium), a member of the lily family, has been used for medicinal purposes from as early on as 3,000 B.C. It is made up of sulfur compounds, amino acids, minerals like germanium, selenium and zinc, and vitamins A, B and C. Allicin, a sulfur containing compound in garlic, is believed to be primarily res
The leaves and root of Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia or E. purpurea) have been used by Native Americans for a broad range of pains and illnesses. Broad immunostimulatory effects have been attributed to the herb. Advocates of echinacea have pointed to test tube and animal studies to support these claims.[1] Test tub
Curcumin is the main active ingredient found in turmeric, a spice used primarily in curry. It is responsible for the unique yellow coloring of foods with curry. A study published in the March 1993 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. evaluated three substances, including curcumin, for anti-HIV properties.[
Compound Q is an extract of Tricosanthin, a type of cucumber native to China . It has been used for the past twenty years in China to induce abortions and treat malignant tumors. GLQ223 is a highly purified derivative of Trichosanthin GLQ223 is now being developed by Genelabs Inc. of Redwood City, CA. Early test
First isolated in cow heart cells, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is found in mammalian tissue, with the highest concentrations in the heart, liver, kidney and muscle. CoQ10 levels are abnormally low in people with congestive heart failure, and in populations with HIV, muscular dystrophy, periodontal disease, immune dysfunction,
Blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria) is a generic name for algae found in most wet places. Spirulina is a variety commonly available at health food stores. In August 1989, scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) reported that extracts from L. lagerheimmi and P. tenue, two specific types of blue-green algae found
Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) is the fruit of a vine-type climbing plant and is a relative of Chinese Cucumber (Tricosanthes kirilowii), the source of the drug Compound Q. Extracts of Bitter Melon fruit, seeds, and vine have been used in Asia to induce abortion and as a treatment for diabetes, gastrointestinal co
Astragalus (Astragalus memranaceious), is an herb used in China , reportedly for the purpose of boosting the immune system and preventing chemotherapy-related bone marrow suppression and nausea. In the former Soviet Union and Japan it is used to treat heart attacks and strokes.[1] The active substances are taken from
Artemisia or Qing Hao (Artemisia annua) has been used as an anti-malarial herb in China since before 340 A.D. More recently, an extract of the herb, artemisinin or qinghaosu (QHS), has shown efficacy against malarial.[1] In the test tube, concentrations of QHS (0.4 micrograms/ml for five days) inhibited Toxoplasmosa g
Acemannan (trade name Carrisyn) is a freeze-dried powder form of juices extracted from the aloe vera plant. Aloe vera has been used for centuries for its healing properties, especially for burns. Some pre-clinical experiments have suggested that Carrysin may have both antiviral and immunomodulatory effects in vitro.[1]
The use of unconventional, alternative, natural, or complementary therapies for AIDS, as for any other illness, has often been founded in a frustration with the lack of safe or effective conventional treatments: many people seek out unconventional therapies not out of any intent to be different, but simply to find reli
This article was compiled and edited posthumously by Mary Beth Caschetta, Rocco Giannetti, and Risa Denenberg from the writings of Jon Greenberg, who died of AIDS on July 12, 1993. Jon was working on this special edition at the time of his death. It was Jon s foremost belief that true alternative treatment begins with
Over the Counter Acyclovir for US? Burroughs Wellcome, a North Carolina-based drug company, sponsored a forum at the 1993 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), to discuss their plans to seek over-the-counter approval for 200mg acyclovir tablets. Acyclovir (
MAC Prophylaxis and Treatment Guidelines A Public Health Service Task Force on Prophylaxis and Therapy for Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC) recommends that HIV- infected individuals with less than 100 CD4 cells receive 300mg per day of rifabutin (Mycobutin, Adria Labs) as MAC prophylaxis. If MAC develops, the task f
Martin Delaney is the Founding Director of Project Inform, a San Francisco-based AIDS treatment information and advocacy organization. In July of this year, Project Inform organized a meeting on Future Directions in AIDS Research in Madison, Wisconsin. David Gold of Treatment Issues spoke with Delaney about the Madison
The 33rd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), held October 17 to 20, 1993 in New Orleans, is the premier infectious disease conference and includes numerous HIV-related presentations. This article reviews anti-HIV presentations and miscelleneous clinical reports from the 1993 ICAAC.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Over eight million cases of active TB occur in the world each year, resulting in three million deaths.[1] In the developing world, TB is considered the most common HIV-related opportunistic infection. In 1993, the Center
Gene therapy is a new branch of medicine with revolutionary potential. One type of gene therapy, called gene transfer, implants new, functional genes into cells to alter their function or confer resistance to infection. (See Treatment Issues May, 1993) Gene transfer experiments are on-going in several congenital diseas
President Clinton moved in August, after months of delay, to nominate Harold E. Varmus, MD, to head the sprawling National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation s premier biomedical research organization. Varmus, a Nobel laureate cancer researcher from the University of California at San Francisco, will replace Bernad
A study followed 296 HIV-positive men over a six-year period and found that intake of certain nutrients was associated with reduced risk of progression to AIDS (Journal of AIDS, 1993; 6:949-958). This nonrandomized, observational study followed the cohort s intake of nutrients through questionnaires and observed whethe
Preliminary data suggest that oral ganciclovir, an experimental drug under development for CMV prophylaxis, may increase the risk of pancreatitis in patients taking ddI. Oral ganciclovir is a new form of intravenous ganciclovir, an approved treatment for CMV disease. Eight cases of pancreatitis occurred in oral gancicl
Bristol-Myers Squibb , which also manufactures ddI, submitted an application to the FDA to change the drug s formulation to a smaller, softer, mandarin orange flavored tablet. Many patients found the original winter green flavored ddI tablets too large, difficult to chew, and distasteful. The FDA must approve all cha
Bristol Myers Squibb, the New York-based drug company that manufactures d4T , reports that over 7,000 patients have participated in its expanded access program for d4T, a new anti-HIV nucleoside analog. Another 1,000 patients are participating in clinical trials of the drug. According to the company s June 1993 quarter
The FDA published new guidelines for the enrollment of women into clinical trials. The new guidelines, published in the Federal Register July 22, would replace earlier guidelines developed in the 1970 s that excluded women from clinical trials. Garance Franke-Ruta, a New York-based AIDS activist, said that the new guid
PCP remains a leading opportunistic infection in people with HIV, despite highly effective prevention and treatment. The New York City Department of Health reports that PCP is still, by far, the leading opportunistic infection, accounting for 49 percent of diseases diagnosed in people with AIDS. In response, GMHC beg
At its September meeting, the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) of the NIH approved two new gene therapy protocols for HIV infection. The RAC must approve every gene therapy protocol conducted at institutions which receive NIH money. In practice, virtually all American medical research organizations receive some
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) issued a warning that this year s influenza season could start earlier and be more severe than in previous years. The warning is based on reports of recent flu outbreaks in two Louisiana nursing homes. These flu outbreaks occurred earlier than usual. The flu season
In a meeting with AIDS activists in September, Merck and Co., Inc. disclosed details of its ongoing HIV protease inhibitor program. The company reported that a Phase I trial of its lead protease inhibitor compound, L-735, 524, will begin in October 1993. Protease is an enzyme on HIV which is required for the virus to r
ddC Approved and Withdrawn In a two-day meeting full of ironic twists, the FDA Antiviral Advisory Committee voted on September 20 to fully approve ddC monotherapy and withdraw combination AZT /ddC s accelerated approval.
Ecstasy is the popular name for methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a common, illicit recreational drug. MDMA is an amphetamine ( speed ) with hallucinogenic properties. Most people who use MDMA believe the drug is safe. However, MDMA has caused serious toxicities in some people and, in rare cases, has been linked t
Switching from AP to TMP/SMX A study, reported in The Journal of Infectious Diseases (1993; 168: 314-7), found that two-thirds of 130 HIV-positive patients taking aerosolized pentamidine (AP) could be successfully switched to Bactrim or Septra (TMP/SMX) without allergic reactions or hematological toxicity. TMP/SMX is t
Data from three large efficacy studies of various nucleoside analog treatment strategies were released this summer. These data shed some light on combination therapy and early AZT use in asymptomatics. Combination AZT/
Impurities in clotting factor substitutes used by persons with hemophilia to replace their missing factor VIII may hasten CD4 decline in those with HIV, according to a preliminary report released at the Ninth International Conference on AIDS in Berlin. The multicenter study, presented by Dr. Stephanie Seremetis of Mt.
Opportunistic infections remain the most common cause of morbidity and death in persons with HIV disease. The expanding knowledge base on the management and prevention of opportunistic infections was evident at the Berlin conference; many presentations dealt with refinements in treatment and prophylaxis strategies, rat
Famciclovir NDA By End of Year SmithKline Beecham, a Philadelphia-based drug company, plans to file a New Drug Application (NDA) for famciclovir, a new broad spectrum anti-herpes drug similar to acyclovir , by the end of the year. The NDA will probably be for herpes zoster ( shingles ) with additional indications, incl
Risky Drinking Water Tap water in American cities may pose risks to PWAs, according to several recent reports. A study presented at the General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology suggests that drinking water in Los Angeles may be a source of Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAI), as well as other mycob
The Ninth International Conference, like other conferences in past years, saw a limited amount of clinical data about HIV immune therapies. However, there was a substantially greater discussion about HIV s interaction with the immune system. In particular, much emphasis was placed on the importance of certain immune re
Other Protease Inhibitors: Several other companies have protease inhibitors in preclinical, or very early clinical studies. DuPont Merck, Vertex, and researchers from the University of California- San Diego each presented data on their protease inhibitor compounds. DuPont Merck s compound is in early human studies in
Several clinical studies of new antiretroviral drugs were presented at the Ninth International AIDS Conference in Berlin. Nevirapine Dr. Diane Havlir from the University of California at San Diego presented results from ACTG 164, an open-label study of nevirapine monotherapy in 38 HIV-positive patients with CD4 co
TREATMENT ISSUES: The Gay Men's Health Crisis Newsletter of Experimental AIDS Therapies - Volume 7, Number 6 -- July 1993
Barclay Dunne
Foscarnet (Foscavir, Astra Pharmaceuticals) and ganciclovir (Cytovene, Syntex), the two drugs approved to treat CMV retinitis, are effective, but toxic. Both require long, daily intravenous infusions through a catheter implanted in the chest. In addition to the risk of serious blood infections associated with catheters
TREATMENT ISSUES: The Gay Men's Health Crisis Newsletter of Experimental AIDS Therapies - Volume 7, Number 6 -- July 1993
John Chism
The skin and mucosa are the body s first defense against countless microbial threats, such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. But this line of defense depends on a functional immune system. When the immune system is suppressed, disorders of the skin may appear. Organ transplant and cancer patients who undergo i
TREATMENT ISSUES: The Gay Men's Health Crisis Newsletter of Experimental AIDS Therapies - Volume 7, Number 6 -- July 1993
Derek Link
(Editor s Note: Treatment Issues will present coverage of the Ninth International Conference on AIDS in Berlin in both the July and August editions. In this issue, we will present an overview of the data on nucleoside analogue therapy ( AZT , ddl and
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
At a recent investment analyst meeting in New York, Burroughs Wellcome shot-caller David Barry disclosed company plans to seek FDA approval for its acyclovir prodrug, valaciclovir (also known as BW 256) in 1994. BW256 is more readily absorbed than acyclovir and need only be taken two to three times per day (compared wi
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
Repligen held a series of meeting with activists to discuss development of the company s V3 loop HIV vaccine and Platelet Factor 4 (PF-4), its anti-Kaposi s sarcoma drug. The V3 loop is found on a stretch of the gp120 protein. Repligen researchers suggest that a V3 loop vaccine causes a strong immune response. A Phase
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
British Biotechnology announced that Phase II trials of its p24- based therapeutic vaccine product have started in Europe. The dose- ranging study will include 72 asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals and will be expanded to sites in the U.S and Australia sometime in 1993. Copyright (c) 1993 - GMHC Treatment Issues. N
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
Boehringer Ingelheim recently completed a series of meetings nationwide to discuss nevirapine , its non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, with activists. The company presented data from ongoing trials (mostly dosage, toxicities, CD4 changes, p24 changes) and outlined a series of pla
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
Kissei, a Japanese drug company, paid $20 million for Asian marketing rights to Vertex s HIV protease inhibitors . Vertex has several protease compounds in preclinical development. Vertex claims its protease compounds are more potent than Abbott s and more bioavailable than Roche s. Copyright (c) 1993 - GMHC Treatm
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
Chiron announced plans to expand studies of its recombinant interleukin-2 ( IL-2 ) for HIV-positive individuals, based on results from a study of six patients conducted by Dr. Cliff Lane of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The study claims impressive CD4 cell and antibody responses i
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
The FDA s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee will review Vestar s New Drug Application (NDA) for liposomal daunorubicin (DaunoXome) as a treatment for HIV-related Kaposi s sarcoma on June 17, 1993. DaunoXome is the result of a new pharmaceutical manufacturing technique which coats drugs in fatty cells (lipids). Vestar
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
Researchers at the University of Milan Medical School report in The Lancet a system to clean sperm of HIV. Their study offers hope to HIV discordant couples who want to conceive. 29 HIV-negative women were inseminated with cleaned semen from their HIV- positive partners. HIV is separated from the semen by spinning the
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
A phase I trial of Merck s new oral HIV protease inhibitor is currently enrolling at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. The trial will measure safety, tolerability, and antiviral activity of the drug. The drug will be given for twelve days, and a washout from other antiretrovirals is required. Partic
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
Risa Denenberg, an AIDS activist and family nurse practitioner, has written Gynecological Care Manual for HIV-Positive Women. The 173-page manual is designed to help primary care providers offer appropriate gynecological services to HIV-positive women. The manual features sections on General Information, Setting Up GYN
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
Two reports provide new evidence that smoking accelerates progression to AIDS in HIV-positive individuals. A British study reported in AIDS (May 1993: 705-710) compared 43 HIV-positive smokers (at least ten cigarettes per day) with 41 HIV-positive non- smokers. The study found that the smokers progressed to AIDS in a m
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
David Gold
The combination of ganciclovir and foscarnet, both approved to treat CMV retinitis as monotherapies, may be effective in PWAs who have failed both drugs. In a study reported in The Journal of Infectious Diseases (May 1993:1184-8), ten patients with CMV were given a combination of ganciclovir and foscarnet at standard d
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
Gabriel Torres, M.D. and David Straus, M.D.
Hodgkin s Disease and non-Hodgkin s Lymphoma (hereafter HD and NHL respectively) are both lymphomas, cancer of the lymphatic system.[1] NHL is the most common lymphoma in PWAs. Central Nervous System lymphoma is the most common manifestation of NHL; it is lymphoma localized in the brain or spinal cord. Lymphomas can al
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
Vaccine Politics After nearly a year of turmoil, the Department of Defense (DOD) agreed to transfer a controversial $20 million Congressional appropriation for HIV vaccine therapy research to the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). The Congressional set-aside was initially made to the DOD to study only one
Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 5 - May, 1993
Mike Barr
Dr. Jonas Salk, the famous polio researcher, was the first to suggest vaccination of HIV-infected people with HIV vaccine products. This month, at the Berlin AIDS Conference, the company he helped start is expected to release the first clinical efficacy data to support his theory. Additionally, the federal government a
TREATMENT ISSUES: The Gay Men's Health Crisis Newsletter of Experimental AIDS Therapies - Volume 7, Number 4 - May 1993
The release of the Concorde data was a significant and rare event. It has caused thousands of HIV-infected people to reconsider their own treatment decisions. Additionally, the study and the controversy that surrounds it are already influencing many of the current debates in AIDS research. The news media understood tha
TREATMENT ISSUES: The Gay Men's Health Crisis Newsletter of Experimental AIDS Therapies - Volume 7, Number 4 - May 1993
Michael Ravitch
An expanding number of researchers believe that medicine is on the threshold of a revolution. Using the tools of molecular biology, researchers hope to manipulate directly an individual s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to cure many diseases, including inherited genetic disorders like sickle cell anemia, many forms of canc
TREATMENT ISSUES: The Gay Men's Health Crisis Newsletter of Experimental AIDS Therapies - Volume 7, Number 4 - May 1993
David Gold
Preliminary results from the long-awaited European trial of immediate vs. deferred AZT treatment were released in a letter to The Lancet on April 3, 1993. The study, dubbed Concorde, was conducted in England, France , and Ireland .
This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.