'Ayurveda hope for HIV+ patients'

[Guest guest]

'Ayurveda hope for HIV+ patients'

Sumitra Deb Roy, TNN, Aug 13, 2010, 05.49am IST

MUMBAI: With no cure in sight for the dreaded HIV, scientists across the globe

are working towards drugs to prolong the life-span of afflicted patients. An

ongoing study by the KEM Hospital to find out the efficacy of ayurvedic drugs in

improving the life expectancy of HIV positive patients has yielded some positive

results.

The medicine department of the hospital has been studying the potency of an

ayurvedic drug on 700 HIV patients since April last year. After little more than

a year, the institute found a significant boost in the count of CD4 cells in

these patients, and also that it could probably push the initiation of

anti-retroviral therapy (ART), known to have many side-effects, by a few years.

The count of CD4 cells is directly proportional to the health of a person for

these cells are the most important part of one's immune system. Anyone with less

CD4 count is more prone to ailments as the body's defence mechanism starts

giving way. The ART for HIV patients is started only after the CD4 count falls

below 250.

After administering the ayurvedic drug, the doctors found that the CD4 count in

patients on an average went up from 448 to 546 within six months and up to 590

in a year's time. Besides, many patients had weight gains, increase in

haemoglobin count and a sense of well-being.

Claiming that it spells a lot of promise, head of medicine at KEM Hospital Dr A

R Pazare said that not every patient who tests positive for HIV immediately

qualifies for the ART drugs. " Till a patient's CD4 count comes down to 250, we

cannot prescribe ART. But patients show apprehension to go back home without

medicines, especially after they are found positive for such a dreaded

ailment,'' he said. Moreover, ART has side-effects like pain in abdomen,

weakening of limbs and arms, swollen abdomen and distortion of facial features.

Therefore, Pazare believes that patients could be prescribed some ayurvedic

drugs with immuno-restorative properties that can delay the initiation of ART.

" Our assumption is that ayurvedic drugs with properties to strengthen immunity

can delay the ART therapy by at least four years,'' said Pazare. " And later, as

the patient is put on ART, he can survive for a few more decades,'' he added.

The KEM hospital study will be on for the next five years.

However, the study solely focused on CD4 cells and did not check if the drug

could bring down the viral load in a patient. Another hitch remains that

ayurvedic drugs cannot be consumed simultaneously with the ART drugs.

Speaking on the use of alternative therapies, head of ART department of JJ

Hospital Dr Alaka Deshpande said nations across the globe were looking for

indigenous medicines for HIV. " Even in India, more systematic studies are

required as there is no standardised data that talks about long-term effects,''

she said. Yet, she added that it may not be a bad idea to put patients on

ayurvedic medicines with proven benefits till they are ideal candidates for ART.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Ayurveda-hope-for-HIV-patients/ar\

ticleshow/6301955.cms#ixzz0wRmvBDJT

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum Members,

Re: /message/11844

Dear all,

Ref: 'Ayurveda hope for HIV+ patients' I have some comments.

Who has financially supported the said study? I completely agree with my

colleague Dr. Alka Deshpande. I suggest International supreme body like World

Health Organisation / UNAIDS should take up this issue.

Sincerely

Dr. J.K.Maniar, MD

e-mail: <jkmaniar@...>

Consulting HIV Physician ; Jaslok Hospital , Bhatia Hospital, H.N.Hospital , and

Saifee Hospital, Bombay.