Extract of Astragalus and HIV, potential new therapy

[HysteryDiagnosis]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081110090619.htm

Chemical From Medicinal Plants May Be Used To Fight HIV

>>ScienceDaily (Nov. 17, 2008) — 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.

But a new UCLA AIDS Institute study has found that a chemical from the Astragalus root, frequently used in Chinese herbal therapy, can prevent or slow this progressive telomere shortening, which could make it a key weapon in the fight against HIV.

"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.<<


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astragalus

[cosmicaug]

1. Cancers

As a wild guess, it may be a great way to enhance the production of HIV related cancers.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Doubt that very much. n/t

[TZ]

3. There are NO HIV related cancers.

HIV causes lack of immunity. Some cancers may come but no--HIV does not cause cancer...HPV DOES.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. What brings about Kaposi's Sarcoma in HIV positive individuals?

[trotsky]

7. Good grief, you can't even use teh Google.

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=Kaposi%27s+sarcoma&l=1

It's in the first sentence!

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a tumor caused by Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

You'll never be taken seriously.

[Liberal Veteran]

11. Agreed. But it is a fine distinction, even though clear.

There are any number of viruses that are relatively benign in a healthy immune system that can cause all kinds of problems in someone with a damaged immune system.

HHV8 - Kaposi's Sarcoma

JC virus - Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

MCV - molluscum contagiosum

EBV - non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

CMV - a variety of conditions

Varicella-zoster - shingles

[juno jones]

4. Astragalus is good stuff

It's in a lot of herbal immune system builders and menopause formulas. It has been used without incident for thousands of years.

If it works, this could be very good news. Thanks for posting this!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. You are welcome, but the sweepers will be by to try and brush

it off as conjectural, impractical, theoretical, unobserved, unproved , hypothetical, non-traditional, here-say, urban legend, wives tale, snake oil, and just plain wrong. Their names will show up on my thread as ignored, as they should be.

[trotsky]

8. Just showing you're wrong once again.

This is promising. Actual evidence-based results. If it pans out, then evil nasty science-based big pharma might be able to isolate and mass-produce the precise chemical(s) involved, making them more accessible and available to all at guaranteed dosages and potencies. Something herbalists simply can never deliver.

On edit: Of course this early research has to pan out. The first stage was looking at the chemical's reaction directly with T-cells. That's nowhere near being able to state that digestive consumption of an herb would be able to deliver the chemical to targeted cells. But surely you knew this, right?

[tabatha]

9. "here-say" should be "hearsay"

But I agree with your comment about nay-sayers.

[Liberal Veteran]

10. Oh really? I first started taking astragalus in 2000 when I was diagnosed with AIDS.

...as an adjunctive therapy to my antivirals.

I also take valerian root to help me sleep.