General
Nail fungus drug might help against HIV — Study
A common drug used to treat nail fungus may hold promise against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, according to a new study.
In laboratory research, the anti-fungal
drug Ciclopirox allowed HIV-infected cells to get killed off by blocking
the cells’ mitochondria — their powerhouse.
drug Ciclopirox allowed HIV-infected cells to get killed off by blocking
the cells’ mitochondria — their powerhouse.
In addition, Ciclopirox eliminated HIV
from cell cultures, and the virus did not return when the anti-fungal
drug was stopped, the study authors said.
from cell cultures, and the virus did not return when the anti-fungal
drug was stopped, the study authors said.
This does not occur with currently
available anti-HIV drugs, which must be taken for the rest of a
patient’s life, said study leaders Michael Mathews and Hartmut
Hanauske-Abel, of the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
available anti-HIV drugs, which must be taken for the rest of a
patient’s life, said study leaders Michael Mathews and Hartmut
Hanauske-Abel, of the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
The effectiveness of Ciclopirox against
HIV needs to be confirmed in human clinical trials. But because the drug
is already approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration
for treatment of fungal infection and is considered safe, the clinical
trial process for this treatment could be quicker and less costly than
usual, the researchers said.
HIV needs to be confirmed in human clinical trials. But because the drug
is already approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration
for treatment of fungal infection and is considered safe, the clinical
trial process for this treatment could be quicker and less costly than
usual, the researchers said.
The study is published in the journal PLoS One.
The use of combination antiretroviral
drugs have vastly improved HIV treatment, the study authors said in a
Rutgers news release.
drugs have vastly improved HIV treatment, the study authors said in a
Rutgers news release.
These so-called drug cocktails are effective at keeping HIV under control, but they never completely eradicate the infection.
HIV’s persistence is partially due to
its ability to disable a cell’s so-called suicide pathway, which is
normally triggered when a cell becomes infected or damaged.
its ability to disable a cell’s so-called suicide pathway, which is
normally triggered when a cell becomes infected or damaged.
New York Times News Service