Document 0042
 DOCN  M9460042
 TI    Is vitamin E supplementation a useful agent in AIDS therapy?
 DT    9404
 AU    Wang Y; Watson RR; Nutritional Sciences Program, University of Arizona,
       Tucson; 85724.
 SO    Prog Food Nutr Sci. 1993 Oct-Dec;17(4):351-75. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/94188527
 AB    Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a clinical disorder caused
       by a retrovirus infection, representing the end point in a progressive
       sequence of immunosuppressive changes. The literature is briefly
       summarized as to immunological, nutritional and other pathological
       modifications caused by AIDS, and properties of immunoenhancing,
       anti-oxidant and undernutrition-restoration of vitamin E
       supplementation. All these abnormalities in AIDS are similar to those
       that are stimulated or restored by intake of high doses of vitamin E.
       The drawbacks of pharmacological therapy like zidovudine (AZT), e.g.
       deleterious toxic side effects, inability to improve the immune
       dysfunctions and undernutrition initiated by the retrovirus infection,
       and finding of AZT-resistant HIV strains, necessitate new strategies for
       the clinical trials of novel therapies to treat AIDS with the existing
       medical therapies. Low toxicity nutritional agents with immunoenhancing
       and antioxidant activities like vitamin E may help to normalize
       retrovirus-induced immune dysfunctions, undernutrition and other
       pathological symptoms, thereby retarding the progression of the disease
       to AIDS. To address this vitamin E therapeutic role in HIV-positive
       individuals, This paper presents a review of vitamin E-related
       therapeutic roles in animals and humans, thereby showing why vitamin E
       supplementation could be used as a useful therapeutic agent in human
       AIDS therapy. Since there is a paucity of information available
       regarding the nutritional therapy in AIDS individuals, our purpose is to
       provide evidence from animal models or humans of the potential
       therapeutic role of vitamin E supplementation in the treatment of AIDS
       individuals.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*DRUG THERAPY/IMMUNOLOGY  Animal
       Antioxidants/PHARMACOLOGY/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Free Radicals  Human  Immune
       System/DRUG EFFECTS  Neutrophils/DRUG EFFECTS  Oxidation-Reduction
       Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.  Vitamin E/PHARMACOLOGY/*THERAPEUTIC USE
       JOURNAL ARTICLE  REVIEW  REVIEW, ACADEMIC

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).