A new UCLA AIDS Institute study has found that a chemical from the Astragalus root, frequently used in Chinese herbal therapy, may help in the fight against HIV.
Like other kinds of cells, immune cells lose the ability to divide as they age because a part of their chromosomes known as a telomere becomes progressively shorter with cell division. As a result, the cell changes in many ways, and its disease fighting ability is compromised.
AIDS / HIV - Treatment
Encyclopedia section of medindia explains in brief about the treatment for AIDS/HIV
Advertisement
But the new study has shown that the chemical, TAT2, can prevent or slow this progressive telomere shortening.
"This has the potential to be either added to or possibly even replace the HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), which is not tolerated well by some patients and is also costly," said study co-author Rita Effros, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and member of the UCLA AIDS Institute.
![Saint Johns Wort]( "Saint Johns Wort")
Saint John''s Wort is a medicinal herb. It has been used for centuries to treat depression.
The researchers tested TAT2 in several ways. First, they exposed the CD8 T-cells from HIV-infected persons to TAT2 to see if the chemical not only slowed the shortening of the telomeres but also improved the cells'' production of soluble factors called chemokines and cytokines, which had been previously shown to inhibit HIV replication. And they found that it did.
They then took blood samples from HIV-infected individuals and separated out the CD8 T-cells and the CD4 T-cells - those infected with HIV.
They treated the CD8 T-cells with TAT2 and combined them with the CD4 T-cells in the dish-and found that the treated CD8 cells inhibited production of HIV by the CD4 cells.
"The ability to enhance telomerase activity and antiviral functions of CD8 T-lymphocytes suggests that this strategy could be useful in treating HIV disease, as well as immunodeficiency and increased susceptibility to other viral infections associated with chronic diseases or aging," the researchers said
The study is to be published in the Nov. 15 print edition of the Journal of Immunology.
Source: ANI
SRM
Saint Johns Wort
Saint John''s Wort is a medicinal herb. It has been used for centuries to treat depression.
Advertisement
The researchers tested TAT2 in several ways. First, they exposed the CD8 T-cells from HIV-infected persons to TAT2 to see if the chemical not only slowed the shortening of the telomeres but also improved the cells'' production of soluble factors called chemokines and cytokines, which had been previously shown to inhibit HIV replication. And they found that it did.
They then took blood samples from HIV-infected individuals and separated out the CD8 T-cells and the CD4 T-cells - those infected with HIV.
They treated the CD8 T-cells with TAT2 and combined them with the CD4 T-cells in the dish-and found that the treated CD8 cells inhibited production of HIV by the CD4 cells.
"The ability to enhance telomerase activity and antiviral functions of CD8 T-lymphocytes suggests that this strategy could be useful in treating HIV disease, as well as immunodeficiency and increased susceptibility to other viral infections associated with chronic diseases or aging," the researchers said
The study is to be published in the Nov. 15 print edition of the Journal of Immunology.
Source: ANI
SRM
Chinese Salad may Help to Combat Cancer
A Chinese herb, more than 2,000-year-old, eaten as salad in many countries has been given a new twist to develop a compound to combat cancer.
Advertisement
 Traditional Chinese Herbs may Help to Ease EczemaA traditional combinations of five Chinese herbs may help treat people suffering from eczema. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Reading
Latest Alternative Medicine News
Patients suffering from common ailments were found to benefit from Ayurveda.
Essential tea plant oil revealed antimalarial properties against two strains of Plasmodium falciparum, a malaria-causing parasite.
Panchakarma could be used as a powerful Ayurvedic weapon to fight long COVID symptoms.
In the United States, the group practice of transcendental meditation was found to decrease stress.
Ayurveda Day 2022: Ayurvedic medicine (Ayurveda), the traditional Indian medicine, is now recognized as a traditional medicine in more than 30 countries.