Research For A Cure For Herpes

Herpes drugs and viral load: valaciclovir works better than aciclovir

The anti-herpes drug valaciclovir ( Valtrex , valacyclovir in the US) produced a 17-fold (1.23 log) reduction in HIV viral load in Kenyan patients not taking treatment, the sixth International AIDS Society conference (IAS 2011) in Rome heard last Wednesday.

Last Monday, the IAS conference in Rome heard that treating HIV patients in Uganda with the herpes drug aciclovir (acyclovir in the US) suppressed HIV viral load by about 0.5 log (a threefold drop) and made them 27% less likely to experience a fall in the CD4 cells to below 200 cells/mm (see Daily aciclovir slows HIV disease progression and reduces viral load ). It also meant people with baseline viral loads over 50,000 copies/ml were 38% less likely to start treatment during the two years of the study, and people with lower viral loads 10% less likely.

Another trial in neighbouring Kenya has found that valaciclovir produced considerably greater falls in viral load than aciclovir.

In this study, 32 patients dually infected with HIV and the genital herpes virus HSV-2, and not on treatment for either, were randomised to receive either valaciclovir 1.5g or aciclovir 400 mg , both twice daily, for twelve weeks. After a two-week ‘washout’ period where they took no drug, they then took whichever of the two drugs they had not previously taken for another twelve weeks. This ‘crossover’ trial design is one way to minimise population effects that may bias results, though the study was open-label (patients knew which drug they were taking).

Seventeen (53%) of the patients were women, their median age was 37, their median CD4 count at baseline (before the start of the study) was 441 cells/mm and their mean blood viral load for HIV at baseline was 12,500 copies/ml (4.1 log).

At follow-up (three weeks after the last drug dose was given) the average viral load in patients who had been taking valaciclovir was 871 copies/ml (2.94 log) and in patients who had taken aciclovir was 3630 copies/ml (3.56 log) – four times lower. The average viral load drop from baseline in patients taking valaciclovir was 1.23 log copies/ml – a 17-fold drop. Aciclovir produced a quarter of this viral load drop – a 3.5-fold (0.56 log) drop.

This study, unlike the aciclovir one presented on Monday, did not measure CD4 count or time taken to HIV therapy.

Presenter Kenneth Mugwanya of the University of Washington, Seattle said that “Given the constraints on ART programmes, the potential for high dose HSV-2 suppression to delay ART initiation warrants further evaluation.

A Natural Cure For Herpes – Herbal and Vitamin Treatments for ...

A Natural Cure For Herpes – Herbal and Vitamin Treatments for Genital Herpes

There have been so many attempts by countless researchers and medical practitioners to find some natural cure for herpes. Their desire to find an effective natural medication led them to be passionate about their research which then made way for new developments in curing herpes. Nowadays, there are a number of ways to cure and solve herpes the natural way.

The main reason why people go the natural alternatives is because they are afraid of the side effects that are inherent in chemical-based prescription medicines. Genital herpes prevention through Natural and homeopathic methods seemed like the most appealing treatment for people who are seeking cure for their diseases such as herpes.

Because of this demand combined with the passionate desire of researchers to find some natural cure for herpes, a lot of studies with the use herbs and natural substances were conducted, the most popular ones being zinc, omega-3, fatty acids, vitamins A and C and bioflavonoids. They have all been proven in the studies that they were very effective in curing the herpes virus.

One of the best and probably the most known to help reduce the frequency of outbreaks due to herpes is thyme. This herbal ingredient can be easily found in tea and spice racks in supermarkets. It is commonly used as an internal antiseptic and is usually applied to blisters and minor wounds.

Bioflavonoids, which can be easily found in fruits and green leafy vegetables, renders the virus dormant or inactive by reducing its activity. So eating food that are rich in bioflavonoids such as onions, spices, apples and different kinds of berries can naturally help cure herpes.

Lastly, Omega-3 naturally prevents the herpes virus from penetrating and seeping through the walls of the body cells making it impossible for the virus to reach the nucleus. The opportunity for the virus to attack the nucleus will be greatly reduced and the body will be safe from herpes.

There are still ongoing research for other natural cures for diseases such as herpes. It’s only a matter of time before we can all get a reliable herbal remedy that can combat this dreaded disease.

Visit Fitter Healthier today to read our free guide on herpes natural treatments and reviews of some of the Natural Cure for Herpes and check out our reviews of the most effective genital herpes treatments available today.

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