HIV Drug also effective against herpesviruses

[Guest guest]

HIV Drug also effective against herpesviruses

Sept 23, 2010 - Institute for Research in Biomedicine - Barcelona, Spain

It was discovered that the drug Raltegravir (Isentress) is effective against

all herpesviruses through a different mechanism than that of HIV. As it

turns out, all Herpesviruses (HHV-1, HHV-2, Eppstein-Barr virus,

Cytomegalovirus, HHV-8) contain the UL89 protein, which is responsible for

DNA maturation. Without it, the virus cannot leave the cell to continue

infection. This discovery will lead to the discovery of a class of safer

drugs to treat herpesviral infections. For CFS patients, it provides a

one-two punch, knocking out XMRV and Herpesvirus co-infections.

Previously, certain drugs against herpesviruses were trialled in CFS

patients with only small improvements at best. The drawback to the current

generation of drugs are that they are fraught with side effects. Foscarnet

is extremely nephrotoxic; Ganciclovir and Valganciclovir (Valcyte) causes

myelosuppresion, GI symptoms, as well as neurological symptoms; and

Valacyclovir and famciclovir lack broad spectrum anti-viral efficacy. Many

persons taking Valcyte report horrendous side effects, comparable to AZT.

Typically, Valcyte costs $800 a month, and Isentress costs $950 a month.

Raltegravir on the other hand has a very favorable side effect profile -

when taken alone, it does not cause fat redistribution or raised cholesterol

like other classes of HIV medications. It is rather unfortunate that very

little research has been devoted to developing new classes of

antiherpesvirals with better side effect profiles, since there is evidence

that XMRV proliferates in EBV transformed B cells. It is also of note that

B cell depletion through Rituximab provides a substantial improvement in CFS

patients that lasts 3-4 months, but then returns, which leads to the

conclusion that Lymphoblasts may very likely be where the secrets of CFS lie

- unfortunately I do not know of any significant ongoing studies that have

been conducted using bone marrow aspirations on CFS patients.

http://cfidsresearch.blogspot.com/

------ End of Forwarded Message