Document 1059
 DOCN  M94A1059
 TI    Herbal medicine shows potential effectiveness in PWAs with chronic
       diarrhea and H. zoster in Kampala, Uganda.
 DT    9412
 AU    Homsy J; Kabatesi D; Mubiru F; Kwamya L; Kalibala S; King R; Katabira E;
       MSF-Switzerland, Kampala, Uganda.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(2):218 (abstract no. PB0885). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94371516
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To conduct a preliminary clinical evaluation of herbal
       therapeis used for the treatment of chronic diarrhea, chronic wasting
       and Herpes Zoster in HIV-infected patients in Kampala, Uganda. METHODS:
       Healers were selected, visited, informed and trained about the research
       over a 5-month period. Test patients were selected, enrolled and
       followed-up at healers' clinics by the healer, a nurse and a doctor.
       Controls were recruited from the TASO AIDS Clinic of Mulago Hospital,
       Kampala. Eligible patients willing to participate were given pre-test
       counseling for HIV testing, asked to sign a consent form, to give a
       brief medical history, and were given a physical exam. Only HIV
       seropositive patients with one or more qualifying symptoms were
       enrolled. Herbal preparations were coded by each healer and given to
       their patients according to the healer's dosage and regimen. Controls
       received the best medical treatment available at the hospital, including
       Acyclovir for HZ. Follow-up consisted of regular clinical exams
       according to a standardized medical form and schedule at each respective
       clinic by the nurse and doctor. RESULTS: Patient recruitment started in
       October '92 By October '93, 414 test and 136 control patients had been
       enrolled. Of these, 327 (79%) test and 99 (73%) control patients had
       been followed up for up to 36 weeks. On average, no substantial weight
       change was observed over follow-up among either test or control chronic
       wasting patients (310 test, 65 controls). H. Zoster (HZ) patients healed
       at the same rate whether under herbal (n = 35) or medical (n = 45)
       treatment. At the end of follow-up however, 11% of healer HZ patients
       vs. 44% of HZ controls still reported post-herpetic neuralgia (p <
       0.005). Finally, among 187 healer patients with chronic diarrhea, 144
       (77%) responded totally or partially to herbal treatment in contrast to
       15 out of 35 controls (43%). This difference was highly significant (p <
       0.005). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that herbal medicines may
       represent valid local alternatives to scarce or unaffordable modern
       drugs for the treatment of major and minor AIDS symptoms in Uganda. A
       second phase of the project is being initiated to confirm these results
       and identify the active compounds of relevant herbal preparations.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS/*THERAPY
       Diarrhea/*COMPLICATIONS  Herpes Zoster/*COMPLICATIONS  Human  *Medicine,
       Herbal  Uganda  MEETING ABSTRACT

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