Scientists Find Way to "Kick" HIV Out of its Hiding Spots

[Remy]

This is interesting! Dilsulfiram is a drug given to alcoholics because it causes unpleasant side effects if they drink while taking it.
Next question...can they kill the virus after they rouse it??

From this article:

In a study published in The Lancet HIV, scientists led by Julian H. Elliott of the University of Melbourne in Australia, together with researchers from University of California San Francisco, described how disulfiram roused the virus from cells where it sleeps.

In an experiment among 20 healthy, HIV-infected adults (undetectable viral load, or less than 50/ml, and a CD4 count greater than 350), participants were given 500 mg, 1000 mg and 2,000 mg of disulfiram daily for three days. “The dosage of disulfiram we used provided more of a ‘tickle’ than a ‘kick’ to the virus, but this could be enough,” said Sharon Lewin, University of Melbourne professor, in a news release. “Even though the drug was only given for three days, we saw a clear increase in virus in plasma, which was very encouraging.”

The drug was well tolerated at all doses. Disulfiram sometimes is prescribed to alcoholics because it causes unpleasant side effects when alcohol is consumed, discouraging drinking. Disulfiram interacts with some older HIV medications and should only be taken under a doctor’s supervision.
Although disulfiram rouses HIV out of hiding, that’s only half the battle -- albeit one that has proven difficult to overcome -- in finding a cure for the disease. “This trial clearly demonstrates that disulfiram is non-toxic and is safe to use, and could quite possibly be the game changer we need,” Lewin said.

 

[Cort]

This is interesting! Dilsulfiram is a drug given to alcoholics because it causes unpleasant side effects if they drink while taking it.
Next question...can they kill the virus after they rouse it??

From this article:

That is soo bizarre and because it's bizarre it's give me real much hope that there's a drug out there that we know nothing about - that doesn't seem like it would have a chance in hell of doing anything with ME/CFS/FM - and yet could work.

Ron Davis has said that once he uncovers the molecular pathways underlying ME/CFS - and he does believe that he or others are going to do this - and it's not going to take that long - the first thing he's going to do is apply them to already approved drugs to see what can be used at least in the short term to provide help.

If a drug given to alcoholics can flush HIV out of its hiding places -I think ANYTHING is possible!

 

[Cort]

I wonder if it works for other viruses?

Just read something tonight where cannabis can have antiviral effects, hiv was mentioned as was hhv8??

Time to be a stoner and give up beer with disulfiram. Haha

 

[Cort]

Isn't Disulfram an interesting drug as well given the poor reaction many people with ME/CFS/FM have to alcohol? Could we have acetaldehyde poisoning or something like that?

Look at all the things this drug does..

Wikipedia.....

"Disulfiram works by inhibiting the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, which means many of the effects of a "hangover" are felt immediately after alcohol is consumed.
In the body, alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde, which is then broken down by aldehyde dehydrogenase. If the dehydrogenase enzyme is inhibited, acetaldehyde builds up and causes unpleasant effects. Disulfiram should be used in conjunction with counseling and support.

Disulfiram is also being studied as a treatment for cocaine dependence, as it prevents the breakdown of dopamine (a neurotransmitter whose release is stimulated by cocaine); the excess dopamine results in increased anxiety, higher blood pressure, restlessness, and other unpleasant symptoms.[citation needed] Several studies have reported that it has antiprotozoal activity, as well.[2][3] Disulfiram is the subject of research for treatment of cancer and HIV (to activate the reservoir of HIV-infected resting CD4 cells).[4]"