Vietnamese Team Claims Herbal Remedy Eases Symptoms of AIDS
August 20, 2000 - 0:0
HANOI A Vietnamese medical researcher claimed Friday he had developed an herbal remedy which clinical trials showed improved the health of people suffering from AIDS and tuberculosis.
Professor Dai Duy Ban of the Institute of Biological Technology in Hanoi said the administration of a compound of 30 herbs to a total of 57 AIDS patients in trails since 1998 had resulted in improved immunity and weight gain.
"It is too early to say if the medicine can cure the disease as we do not have the equipment to detect the levels of HIV in the blood, but we have seen weight gains of between five and ten kilograms," he said. "The cost in relation to most existing treatments is also very low, about $100 compared to $1,500 a year." Professor Ban said blood testing had also revealed that the number of TCD4 lymphocytes white blood cells responsible for the body's immune response which are attacked and killed by the virus responsible for AIDS showed a marked increase following treatment with the compound.
"We have seen the number of TCD4 lymphocytes increase in some patients from as low as 15 to more than 500 per milliliter of blood," he said.
Dr. Laurent Zessler, head of UNAIDS in Vietnam, said initial results were encouraging, but cautioned against being overly optimistic.
"Our concern is principally for AIDS sufferers who are desperate and will usually grasp at any straw which might prolong their lives," he said.
"We respect the efficacy of traditional medicines in places like Vietnam, but it is important that trails be held to international standards, subject to peer review and due scientific process." Professor Ban said he had not submitted his findings to external review through international conferences and medical journals, but his findings had been presented to a national AIDS conference held in Vietnam late last year.
"I have received great encouragement from my colleagues here, but have not yet had any response from the Ministry of Health or any international drug companies," he said. "I am very disappointed about this because we have seen very good results but lack the resources to continue and develop our research." (DPA)
Professor Dai Duy Ban of the Institute of Biological Technology in Hanoi said the administration of a compound of 30 herbs to a total of 57 AIDS patients in trails since 1998 had resulted in improved immunity and weight gain.
"It is too early to say if the medicine can cure the disease as we do not have the equipment to detect the levels of HIV in the blood, but we have seen weight gains of between five and ten kilograms," he said. "The cost in relation to most existing treatments is also very low, about $100 compared to $1,500 a year." Professor Ban said blood testing had also revealed that the number of TCD4 lymphocytes white blood cells responsible for the body's immune response which are attacked and killed by the virus responsible for AIDS showed a marked increase following treatment with the compound.
"We have seen the number of TCD4 lymphocytes increase in some patients from as low as 15 to more than 500 per milliliter of blood," he said.
Dr. Laurent Zessler, head of UNAIDS in Vietnam, said initial results were encouraging, but cautioned against being overly optimistic.
"Our concern is principally for AIDS sufferers who are desperate and will usually grasp at any straw which might prolong their lives," he said.
"We respect the efficacy of traditional medicines in places like Vietnam, but it is important that trails be held to international standards, subject to peer review and due scientific process." Professor Ban said he had not submitted his findings to external review through international conferences and medical journals, but his findings had been presented to a national AIDS conference held in Vietnam late last year.
"I have received great encouragement from my colleagues here, but have not yet had any response from the Ministry of Health or any international drug companies," he said. "I am very disappointed about this because we have seen very good results but lack the resources to continue and develop our research." (DPA)