At present, there is no scientifically proved cure for HIV /AIDS. Globally, the number of infected HIV /AIDS patients is increasing at an alarming rate; with a current estimate of 33.2 million people who are living with HIV 1. Hence, there is a dire need to search for a safe, effective and economical treatment for HIV /AIDS.

In a retrospective study in 55 patients, Ayurvedic treatment has proved to be very promising in the management of HIV/AIDS. Fifty-Five adult patients were given Ayurvedic treatment for HIV/AIDS, during the period from April 1999 to November 2004.Each patient had tested positive for HIV/AIDS on at least 2 different occasions. No patient was taking anti-retroviral drugs at the time of commencing Ayurvedic treatment. All patients were started on treatment after written, informed consent.

The Ayurvedic Herbal Combination ( AHC ) comprises of eleven different herbs in different dosage strengths, based upon their respective potencies, reported anti-viral and immunomodulatory properties, and their traditional usage according to Ayurvedic principles of medicine 2 -4 .The constituents of AHC with their respective dosages are as follows:-Terminalia arjuna: 250 mg. ;Zinziber officinale: 250 mg. ;Phyllanthus niruri :1 gm ;Glycyrrhiza glabra:1gm. ;Withania somnifera:1gm. ;Eclipta alba: 250mg. ;Centella asiatica: 250mg. ;Boerhavia diffusa: 250mg. ;Emblica officinalis: 250mg. ;Tinospora cordifolia: 250mg. ;Rubia cordifolia: 250mg. This AHC was dispensed in a combined dose of 5 gms. t.i.d., to be taken with water after meals. Aqueous herbal extracts of all the medicines were used, in tablet form.

All patients were advised to eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet. Therapeutic counseling sessions were conducted regularly to help the patients achieve mind relaxation, to modify their risk behavior , and to increase adherence and compliance to therapy.

All patients were followed up at monthly intervals. Detailed clinical examination was done at each visit and significant findings were recorded. In addition, in affording and willing patients, investigations like CBC, Hb, Liver and Renal functions, X-Ray of chest, Western Blot, CD4 count and Viral Load were done wherever possible. Other investigations were done, if required, for Opportunistic Infections (O.I.).All O.I. were promptly and aggressively treated with modern medicines. A close watch was kept for adverse reactions of the drugs.

Therapeutic outcome was assessed by overall clinical examination, change in Karnofsky score (assessment for overall well-being of patients), change in weight, occurrence and response to O.I., and change in CD4 and Viral Load values. Maximum number of patients was in the age ranging from 20 - 39 years (80 %). Of the total number of 55 patients, 39 were male (71 % ) and 16 were female (29 %), with the male: female ratio being 2.4: 1. There were 7 couples who took treatment together.

Of the 55 patients, 5 patients died, 42 patients took treatment for varying periods and then stopped treatment, while 8 patients continued treatment till the end of the study period. The 5 patients who died were critically ill at the time of presentation, and died mostly within the first two months of starting Ayurvedic treatment. The cause of death varied ; 1 patient died from cirrhosis of the liver, 3 died of extensive Pulmonary Tuberculosis (multi-drug resistant) and 1 died of a combination of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and demyelination disease of the brain.

In the 50 patients who were alive till the time of their last follow-up , there was an average weight-gain of 2.3 kgs.(range = - 4 to + 7.5 kgs), usually within the first 3 months. In those patients who took continuous treatment for more than 3 months, the Karnofsky score increased from an average of 75.9 at the commencement of treatment to 87.4 at the last follow-up. Almost all the patients had 1-3 O.I. at the time of presentation. Other than Tuberculosis, all the O.I. cleared up rapidly within the first 2 months of treatment.

Long-term administration of Ayurvedic medicines (upto 30 months) did not seem to have any major adverse effects. In fact, in a few patients, the tests for liver and renal function appeared to normalize further, with treatment. Haemoglobin readings gradually improved in those patients taking regular, prolonged treatment.The most striking effect of the Ayurvedic medicines was on the Viral Load and CD4 counts. Because of financial constraints, only 15 patients (27 % ) agreed to do either the Viral Load or the CD4 count, or both. In most patients, there was a definite and steady decrease in the Viral Load, and an increase in the CD4 cell counts.

Antiretroviral medicines are the mainstay in the modern treatment of HIV/AIDS. However, a plethora of side-effects, development of resistance to drugs and escalating treatment costs are serious concerns. In the absence of a definite cure for HIV/AIDS, Ayurvedic medicines may provide a useful alternative for long-term management of patients, since these medicines are economical and devoid of serious side-effects. However, scientific research is necessary to determine efficacy of these medicines. This retrospective study is one such effort to assess long-term therapeutic effects of an Ayurvedic Herbal Combination in the management of HIV /AIDS.

In this study, 4 patients died within the first 2 months of commencing treatment. Onset of therapeutic effect is slow with Ayurvedic medicines, and these patients probably could not benefit from Ayurvedic treatment. This emphasizes the need to start treatment as early as possible in immuno-compromised patients. The causes of death indicate that Tuberculosis and CNS involvement are major killers in HIV patients. Multi-drug resistance to Tuberculosis is also a major concern.

16 patients ( 29% ) did not come back after just one ( 11% ) or two ( 18% ) visits. The reasons cited were, a complete inability to pay for treatment, or a search for a ‘better’ or a ‘guarenteed cure’. Fortunately, perceptions have changed in the last few years. Even illiterate patients from the lower socio-economic strata are no longer asking for a ‘guarantee’ or a ‘cure’. ‘Long-term management with minimum expenses’ is a mantra being readily accepted by the HIV positive patient of today.

All the patients who took medicines regularly, had a high-protein diet and kept themselves busy, improved very well and put on weight. Even 2 to 3 years after stopping Ayurvedic treatment, most of the patients are doing very well, some inspite of very low CD4 counts. This is probably one of the biggest long-term advantages of taking Ayurvedic medicines for HIV /AIDS. However, patients with socio-economic difficulties and a lot of psychological pressure who could not have access to regular treatment, started losing weight after initially improving with treatment. A comprehensive management of each patient thus needs to address several issues relevant to each individual patient.

This study also brought forth some interesting results. One patient who subsequently died, had severe demyelinating disease of the brain (as diagnosed in a major hospital), and had lost most of his motor control and sensory senses, since several months. After being given Ayurvedic treatment for about 1 ½ months he became alert, and could speak clearly, albeit temporarily, for 1 week. Another patient with Nephrotic syndrome resulting in long-standing generalized oedema (2 years ) had complete regression of the oedema after 2 months of Ayurvedic treatment without any other treatment. One HIV positive patient with suspected malignancy of lung in the right upper lobe was steadily losing weight. After starting Ayurvedic treatment, he started putting on weight. Another patient with history suggestive of HIV Encephalopathy was semi-conscious at presentation. He was passively fed on liquid diet and a combination of both modern drugs and Ayurvedic treatment. This patient be!

came ambulatory within 2 weeks, and after 2 months of treatment he was faring well, even with a CD4 count of just 6.The above 4 instances indicate that the Ayurvedic medicines may have multi-faceted properties and need further evaluation.

Thus,the retrospective study of 55 HIV positive adult patients treated with an Ayurvedic Herbal combination from April 1999 to November 2004 proved the Ayurvedic medicines to be highly effective as anti-viral and immuno-stimulant,and safe on long-term use. A nutritious diet, Ayurvedic baseline therapy, timely allopathic treatment of Opportunistic Infections and regular counseling support appears to be an ideal combination in the management of HIV/ AIDS patients.

References

1. UNAIDS. Global Summary of the AIDS Epidemic. Update
December 2007.

2. Foundation for Integrative AIDS Research. Potential Anti-
HIV Herbs. 15/9/2002.

3. Sharma P.V. Vegetable Drugs. Vol. II. IV Edition.
Chaukhamba Publications.1978.

4. Dahanukar S A, Kulkarni R A, Rege N N. Pharmacology of
Medicinal Plants and Natural Products. Indian Journal of
Pharmacology, 2000; 32: S81 - S118.

AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome it causes a destruction of the immune system. It is the most advanced stage of the HIV virus (HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus). AIDS is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the presence of a positive HIV antibody test and one or more of the illnesses known as opportunistic infections.

The HIV virus, type 1 or 2 is widely known to be the cause of AIDS. HIV breaks down and attacks your T cells so your body is unable to defend itself against different infections. The HIV virus also attacks your peripheral nervous system, this causes nerve and muscle pain, especially in the feet, legs, and hands.

HIV is spread through direct contact with semen or blood of an individual that is infected. This can be transferred in many ways the most common is unprotected sexual intercourse. Other means of infection are infected blood transfusions, mother to infant (at time of birth, or through breast milk), sharing needles with an infected person, and rarely a healthcare worker that gets pricked with an infected needle.

Often people who are infected with HIV have few symptoms and in some cases there are none. Other times, symptoms of HIV are confused with other illnesses such as the flu. This may be severe, with swollen glands in the neck and armpits, tiredness, fever and night sweats. This is where as much as 9 out of 10 of the infected individuals will develop AIDS. At this point the person may feel completely healthy and not even know that he/she has the virus. The next stage begins when the immune system starts to break down and the virus becomes more aggressive in damaging white cells. Several glands in the neck and armpits may swell and stay swollen for an extended period of time without any explanation. As this disease progresses boils or warts may spread over the body. They may also feel tremendously tired, night sweats, high fevers, chronic diarrhea, and they may lose a considerable amount of their body weight. Most cases have shown thrush as a symptom as well. At this point the person is in the final stages of HIV--AIDS. Severe chest infections with high fever are common and survival rate is above 70% but decrease with each recurrence.

A person is diagnosed with AIDS when he/she has one or more positive HIV screening and the presence of an AIDS defining condition. Some of the common conditions include but are not limited to: Meningitis, Encephalitis, Dementia, Pneumonia, Kaposi sarcoma, and Lymphoma. There is also a blood test called an Immune Profile that can be done. This test is used to measure the loss of immunity and help decide on the best treatment. There is a test that is rarely used due to its high cost, it is known as a Viral Load: This test detects the virus itself, and also measures the amount of HIV in the blood. It shows how quickly the HIV infection is likely to advance. A high viral load suggests that the person may progress rapidly to AIDS.

Although there is no cure for AIDS there are medical treatments that aide in prolonging, and maintaining the best quality of life possible. These include two nucleoside inhibitors, lamivudine and zidovudine. Actual treatment plans will vary with each patient, along with the physical aspect of this disease. The psychological side has to be addressed in order for a treatment plan to be effective.

The easiest way to escape contracting this disease is to avoid the risk factors that you are in control of. Such as: unprotected sex, not sharing a needle, and if you are in the healthcare field be sure to use all precautions necessary to avoid an accidental prick from a possible infected needle (remember that in this diseases early stages it is common for the person not to even know they are infected). Today AIDS is the fifth leading cause of death among all adults aged 25 to 44 in the United States. Among African-Americans in the 25 to 44 age group, AIDS is the leading cause of death for men and the second leading cause of death for women. Our society needs to become aware that by not protecting ourselves we are killing ourselves and that this has to stop.

AIDS is acquired immuno deficiency syndrome. It is a fatal disease caused by a rapidly mutate retrovirus which attacks the immune system and leaves the patient susceptible to infections, malignancies, and neurological disorders. It was first recognized as a disease in 1981. The virus was isolated in 1983 and was ultimately named the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There are two forms of the HIV virus, HIV-1 and HIV-2. The majority of cases worldwide are caused by HIV-1.

It is transmitted primarily by exposure to contaminated body fluids, especially blood and semen. In 1999 an international team of genetic scientists reported that HIV-1 can be traced to a closely related strain of virus, called simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), that infects a subspecies of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in Africa. Chimpanzees are hunted for meat in this region, and it is believed the virus may have passed from the blood of chimpanzees into humans through superficial wounds, probably in the early 1930s.

In a process, HIV infects the CD4 cells of the body's immune system, cells that are necessary to activate B- lymphocytes and induce the production of antibodies. This is still imperfectly understood. The body fights back producing billions of lymphocytes daily to fight the billions of copies of the virus. The immune system is eventually plagued and the body is left vulnerable to opportunistic infections and malignancy.

Some people develop flu like symptoms shortly after infection, but many have no symptoms. It may be a few months or many years before serious symptoms develop in adults; symptoms usually develop within the first two years of life in infants infected in the womb or at birth. Before serious symptoms occur, an infected person may experience fever, weight loss, diarrhea, fatigue, skin rashes, shingles thrush, or memory problems. Infants may fail to develop normally.

The definition of AIDS has been refined, as more knowledge has become available. In general it refers to that period in the infection when the CD4 count goes below 200 from a normal count of 1,000 or when the characteristic opportunistic infections and cancers appear. The conditions associated with AIDS include malignancies such as Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, primary lymphoma of the brain, and invasive carcinoma of the cervix.

Opportunistic infections characteristic of or more virulent in AIDS include Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, herpes simplex, cytomegalo virus, and diarrhea diseases caused by cryptosporidium or isospora. In addition, hepatitis C is prevalent in intravenous drug users and hemophiliacs with AIDS, and an estimated 4 to 5 million people who have tuberculosis are coinfected with HIV, each disease hastening the progression of the other.

Children may experience more serious forms of common childhood ailments such as tonsillitis and conjunctivitis. These infections conspire to cause a wide range of symptoms like coughing, diarrhea, fever and night sweats, and headaches and may lead to extreme weight loss, blindness, hallucinations, and dementia before death occurs.

HIV is not transmitted by casual contact. Transmission requires a direct exchange of body fluids, such as blood or blood products, breast milk, semen, or vaginal secretions, most commonly as a result of sexual activity or the sharing of needles among drug users. Such a transmission may also occur from mother to baby during pregnancy or at birth. Saliva, tears, urine, feces, and sweat do not appear to transmit the virus.

Persons with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are especially susceptible to illness from food-borne pathogens. Because they're at higher risk for severe illness or death, affected persons must be vigilant when handling and cooking foods. Here are some recommendations to help prevent bacterial food-borne illness.

1. When shopping for raw and cooked perishable foods, be sure the food is being stored at a safe temperature in the store. Don't select perishable food from a non-refrigerated aisle display. Never choose packages which are torn or leaking.

2. When ordering food from the deli department, be sure the clerk washes his hands between handling raw and cooked items or puts on new plastic gloves. Don't buy cooked ready-to-eat items which are touching raw items or are displayed in the same case.

3. Don't buy cans that are dented, leaking, or bulging; food in cracked glass jars; or food in torn packaging. Tamper- resistant safety seals should be intact. Safety buttons on metal lids should be down and should not move or make a clicking noise when pushed. Do not use any product beyond its expiration date!

4. Immediately refrigerate or freeze perishable foods after transporting them home. Make sure thawing juices from meat and poultry do not drip on other foods. Leave eggs in their carton for storage and don't place them in the door of the refrigerator. Keep the refrigerator clean.

5. Food stored constantly at 0 °F will always be safe. Only the quality suffers with lengthy storage. It's of no concern if a product date expires while the product is frozen. Freezing keeps food safe by preventing the growth of micro- organisms that cause both food spoilage and food-borne illness. Once thawed, however, these microbes can again become active so handle thawed items as any perishable food.

6. Store canned foods and other shelf stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes.

7. Wash hands, utensils, can openers, cutting boards, and countertops in hot, soapy water before and after coming in contact with raw meat, poultry, or fish.

8. Many cases of food-borne illness are caused by take-out, restaurant, and deli-prepared foods. Avoid the same foods when eating out as you would at home. Meat, poultry, and fish should be ordered well done; if the food arrives undercooked, it should be sent back.

9. Wash cutting boards with hot, soapy water after each use; then rinse and air dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels. Non-porous acrylic, plastic, or glass boards and solid wood boards can be washed in an automatic dishwasher (laminated boards may crack and split).

10. Do not eat raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs. For people with AIDS, the most important thing is to use a meat thermometer to be sure meat, fish, eggs, and casseroles reach at least 160 °F. Roast whole poultry to 180 °F; poultry breasts to 170 °F. When reheating foods in the microwave, cover and rotate or stir foods once or twice during cooking and check the food in several spots with a thermometer.

Copyright (c) Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved.

AIDS is the fifth leading cause of death among persons between ages 25 to 44 in the United States. About 60 million people worldwide have been infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes AIDS. The virus attacks the immune system and leaves the body vulnerable to a variety of life-threatening infections and cancers.

The growing impact of AIDS in Africa, Asia and Latin America has prompted the United Nations World Food Program to appeal to donor countries to fund food and nutrition for those afflicted.

The symptoms of AIDS are primarily the result of infections that do not normally develop in individuals with healthy immune systems. These are called opportunistic infections.

Patients with AIDS have had their exempt structure depleted by HIV and are really vulnerable to such opportunistic infections. Common symptoms are fevers, sweats (especially at night), bloated glands, chills, failing, and weight loss.

Transmission of the virus occurs. The three main ways HIV is passed to a very young child are:

While the baby develops in the mother's uterus (intrauterine)

At the time of birth

During breastfeeding

Among teens, the virus is most commonly spread through high-risk behaviors including:

Unprotected sexual intercourse (oral, vaginal, or anal sex)

Sharing needles used to inject drugs or other substances (including contaminated needles used for injecting steroids and tattooing and body art)

In very rare cases, HIV has also been transmitted by direct contact with an open wound of an infected person (the virus may be introduced through a small cut or tear on the body of the healthy person) and through blood transfusions. Since 1985, the U.S. blood supply has been carefully screened for HIV.

Tests for HIV have become cheaper and more obtainable for governments, but this has unfortunately lead to standalone HIV testing programs that the Human Rights Watch has criticized for being coercive, discriminatory, lacking in confidentiality and deficient in prevention information.

AIDS is a fatal illness that affects the immune system. It accounts for millions of deaths each year and is a serious worldwide epidemic. Over forty million people in the world are infected with AIDS. The immune system degenerates, making those infected susceptible to infection and disease. Over three million people died of this disease in 2005. There is no cure for AIDS but there are treatments available to help slow the progression. AIDS is researched throughout the world in order to discover new treatments to prolong life and to find a cure. Currently, there have been studies on two new drugs that show promising results.

Merck & Co., a drug manufacturer in New Jersey, conducted clinical trials on a new pill. It is to be taken orally twice per day to help slow the progression of the disease. Studies indicated this drug is performing better than the other medications currently on the market. This drug will be especially beneficial to long term AIDS sufferers who have developed a resistance to pharmaceuticals existing today.

The studies were performed on 167 patients who have shown progression of the disease and have critically impaired health. Many of these patients have taken the drug AZT, a common treatment, for more than ten years. In the clinical trials, varying doses of the drug were experimented on with patients with varying conditions. In the most successful group, seventy two percent of the patients showed an improvement with virus levels becoming undetectable. In the least successful group, virus levels were reduced to undetectable amounts in fifty six percent. The results of the clinical trial were surprising but welcomed. The effects were astounding and the drug manufacturer is hopeful that it will help prolong the lives of people with AIDS. They are continuing to conduct research in larger trials and hope to apply for approval from the Food and Drug Administration in 2007.

Gilead Sciences, a competing drug manufacturer, also showed positive results from a similar type drug. Although the clinical trials were much smaller then Merck’s, the company is hopeful the results will set the stage for larger trials. The drug is called an integrase inhibitor. Integrase is an enzyme that speeds the progression of HIV. The inhibitor blocks the enzyme, slowing this process. The initial trials were only conducted with only ten patients. However, after ten days there was a one hundred fold reduction in virus levels. Similar to the Merck study, this shows promise in helping to prolong the life of patients. This pill will be taken once per day in conjunction with Novir, another AIDS medication. Increased studies of this drug will begin in the spring of 2006.

Although AIDS is a world wide epidemic with no cure as of yet, continuing research is showing promise. Recent studies indicate there will soon be two new drugs available for treatment, both showing incredibly enhanced improvement from existing medications. As science advances, scientists are hopeful that they will one day find a cure for this disease, eradicating it from existence.

Today AIDS is the fifth leading cause of death among all adults aged 25 to 44 in the United States. Among African-Americans in the 25 to 44 age group, AIDS is the leading cause of death for men and the second leading cause of death for women. Our society needs to become aware that by not protecting ourselves we are killing ourselves and that this has to stop.

Although most of the signs and symptoms of HIV infection are similar in men and women, some are more specific to females. For example:

Vaginal yeast infections may be chronic, more severe, and difficult to treat in women with HIV infection than in women who are uninfected.

Pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of the female reproductive organs, may also be more frequent and severe in women with HIV infection.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, which cause genital warts, may occur more frequently in HIV-infected women, and can lead to pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix or cancer of the cervix.

Taking anti-HIV drugs during pregnancy—either a drug called zidovudine or AZT only or in combination with new drugs called extremely involved antiretroviral therapy (HAART)—a mother can significantly cut the chances that her infant will have infected with HIV.

Delivering the infant by cesarean part, and doing then before the mother’s uterine membranes tear naturally, reduces infection that may happen during the birth procedure. Use of anti-HIV drugs during pregnancy and saving, combined with a cesarean part in women with sure levels of HIV in their blood, can cut the opportunity that the infant will be infected to little than 2 percentage.

Avoidance of breastfeeding by a HIV-infected mother. HIV can be scatter to babies through the bosom milk of mothers infected with the virus. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that, in countries such as the United States, where infant formula is secure and is frequently accessible and cheap, HIV-infected women eat their infants commercially accessible formula instead of breastfeeding.