Posts tagged Antiretroviral drugs
Soy Sauce And HIV
10 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Research
Soy Sauce and HIV: Japanese Condiment Sheds New Light
Antiretroviral drug therapies are the key treatments used against HIV today. Such therapies have proven effective and have turned the tide on the virus increasing both life expectancy and quality of life. Yet, it is common for patients suffering from HIV to develop a resistance to some of the therapies of choice. This can be a real problem as substitute therapies are usually harsher and not quite as effective. Soy sauce and HIV, four words that we wouldn’t usually see in combination, may present a solution.
A few years ago, a Japanese company was looking to enhance the flavor of their soy sauce. The discovery of a new compound led to further investigation. It turns out that what they had found was a compound similar to what is currently used in antiviral therapies. The difference with this compound and typical therapies for HIV is in how the compound works against HIV and, especially, in its ability to escape detection from the virus.
The new compound, EFdA, is a nucleoside analogue that tricks the virus and halts reproduction. Compounds such as the ones used in treatment look like the building blocks used by HIV to replicate and spread. The imposter compounds, however, thwart this process thus stunting the spread of the virus. Benefits of EFdA include its ability to remain unnoticed by the virus. Unlike presently used molecules, HIV has not been able to resist their attacks.
Ongoing research continues to show good results. The complexity of its structure is currently the focus of study. There is a sort of ‘key’ that unlocks the compound and sets it off to do its job. Figuring out how the compound is structured will help researchers unlock its potential and put it to use. It is hoped that this will spawn newer, more effective treatments that can last for years without the virus developing resistance. Soy sauce and HIV, who would have known?
HIV Drug That Treats Other Infections
10 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV and HPV
HIV Drug That Treats Other Infections: Medication Re-Purposing
You may be familiar with the idea of re-purposing: Just spend some time on Pinterest and you can find all sorts of ideas on ways to reuse items for fashion, home décor, furniture and the like. Repurposing can work for medication as well. Take, for example, some of the antiretroviral drugs that are helping HIV-infected patients have a more normal life expectancy. We have now identified an HIV drug that treats other infections.
A recent study showed one of these drugs can be effective against one of the most prevalent and dangerous diseases of our time. Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a widespread sexually transmitted disease and an imminent danger due to its strong link to cervical cancer in women. The combination of the rapid spread of this disease across the country (and the whole world) combined with the sheer number of cancers it can cause, has made this a matter of public concern.
A study in Kenya showed that people are three times more likely to end up with HIV if they have ever been infected with HPV. Because of the prevalence in that nation of people ending up with both conditions, studies were conducted in order to see if any HIV drugs in particular would be effective against HPV. A ‘two birds with one stone’ approach, if you will. It was found that the HIV therapy drug Lopinavir could help treat HPV, even if the patient was already in a precancerous stage. This is certainly good news. Hopefully, once the drug has finished clinical trials, it can begin commercial use in the U.S. to help those with HPV.
Finding an HIV drug that treats other infections is clearly good news. However, prevention is far better than a cure. So, what can we do to protect ourselves? A vaccine for HPV exists and it is important to use this option to protect yourself from the virus and from the cancers that HPV can cause. Of course, you should check with your doctor and see if this is the best option for you.
HIV and Heart Disease
10 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Research
HIV and Heart Disease
A recent study, underscoring the link between HIV and heart disease, has provided interesting findings. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US, with men having a slightly greater risk of developing the condition than women. However, people who have an even greater risk of developing heart disease are those who are infected with HIV. The link between HIV and heart disease is especially pronounced, in regard to plaque buildup in the arteries and actual heart attacks. Moreover, just like heart disease in the general population, men who are infected with HIV have a higher risk of heart disease than women.
Hundreds of HIV infected men, and a control group not infected with the virus, were studied. Background information was also taken into consideration, such as smoking and lifestyle. Advanced scanning techniques were used to gather images of the participants’ arteries, particularly the coronary arteries. These images were used to determine if plaque or a stenosis had developed. Researchers found that those who were HIV-positive had a higher rate of both of these conditions. When it came to non-calcified plaque, those with HIV showed higher rates and greater build-up. This can be dangerous, as this type of plaque buildup can rupture or break free. When this happens, it can cause a blockage in a vessel or even a heart attack. Those who had later stages of HIV, and who were also taking antiretroviral medications, had the most cases of heart disease as well as the most severe cases.
Exactly why HIV and heart disease present together and so often is not yet known. Researchers fully intend to keep investigating. However, now that it is clear what types of disease manifest themselves in men who test positive for HIV, physicians can keep a close eye on their vascular system in order to catch early signs of heart disease.
Correlation Between HIV Worsening and Gut Bacteria
11 years ago
Why do some HIV patients who experience great success from treatments still die younger than the average life expectancy? The reason may lie in the intestines. The bacteria that exists in the gut can increase inflammation that was originally related to the body’s fight against HIV.
Antiretroviral drugs can now help HIV patients to keep from having their immune system completely compromised, thus leading to a normal life span. But whether a person has HIV or not, inflammation can lead to serious health conditions such as heart problems, weight issues and mental deterioration.
HIV causes this sort of inflammation in individuals regardless of whether or not they receive treatment for the condition throughout their entire life. What lets HIV hang around in a patient even when treatment is successful? While this has been a subject of longtime research, the area of study is moving to the intestinal tract.
The idea for the research came from the concept that someone with HIV may have altered gut flora in some way as a result of the condition. The study involved considering samples from those who were infected with the disease but were not undergoing treatment, others who were receiving various forms of treatment and, finally, individuals without the disease as a control group.
What was the verdict? The flora found within the gut of an HIV patient is significantly different from that of a person who does not have the disease. More of the bacteria found in the intestines of the HIV patients was harmful bacteria that can create dangerous inflammation.
Researchers do not yet have a way to restore balance to the gut that has undergone such a drastic change, but more research is underway. Prospects are hopeful that treating this gut condition along with HIV will be the key to keeping HIV patients from suffering from a premature loss of life. It is also hoped that such advancements may allow for treatments that do not need to continue for someone’s entire life in order to hold the disease at bay.
