ascorbic-acid and Herpes-Simplex

Herpes simplex is a common viral infection of the skin or mucous membranes. The lesions caused by this infection are often painful, burning, or pruritic, and tend to recur in most patients. Short-term treatment with acyclovir can accelerate the healing of an acute outbreak, and continuous acyclovir therapy is often prescribed for people with frequent recurrences. While this drug can reduce the recurrence rate by 60-90 percent, it can also cause a wide array of side effects, including renal failure, hepatitis, and anaphylaxis. Safe and effective alternatives are therefore needed. There is evidence that certain dietary modifications and natural substances may be useful for treating active Herpes simplex lesions or preventing recurrences. Treatments discussed include lysine, vitamin C, zinc, vitamin E, adenosine monophosphate, and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis).

Topics: Adenosine Monophosphate; Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Citrus; Complementary Therapies; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Lysine; Organometallic Compounds; Phytotherapy; Rats; Succinates; Vitamin E; Zinc

Topics: Amantadine; Antiviral Agents; Ascorbic Acid; Dosage Forms; Drug Evaluation; Encephalitis; Hepatitis; Herpes Simplex; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Idoxuridine; Influenza, Human; Inosine Pranobex; Interferons; Levamisole; Rimantadine; Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis; Trifluridine; Virus Diseases

We carried out a randomized double-bind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on the topical treatment of recurrent mucocutaneous herpes with a strong water solution of Ascoxal, an ascorbic acid-containing pharmaceutical formulation with mucolytic and non-specific antimicrobial activities. The lesion was firmly pressed with a cotton wool pad soaked in drug solution 3 times for 2 min with 30-min intervals on the first day only. Evaluation of the effects was by daily recordings of several different symptoms, including the presence and severity of erythema, induration, papulae or vesicles and scab by both the patient and a trained nurse, and by virus culture. Fourteen episodes with active treatment and 18 with the placebo were analyzed. According to the patients' records, the active treatment resulted in a significantly smaller cumulative number of days with scab (P < 0.01), or with any remaining symptom (P < 0.02) and significantly fewer occasions of worsening of any symptom after the treatment (P < 0.05). According to the nurse's records, the persistence of scabs was significantly shorter in the active treatment group (means 3.4 vs 5.9 days, P = 0.03). Virus culture after the first day of treatment yielded herpes simplex virus significantly less frequently in the active treatment group than in the placebo group (P < 0.01). In conclusion, a brief treatment with this ascorbic acid-containing preparation resulted in statistically significant clinical and antiviral effects, which calls for further and more extensive studies with a more intensive treatment schedule.

Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Adult; Ascorbic Acid; Double-Blind Method; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Herpes Labialis; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Recurrence; Solutions

In vitro activity of interferon-alpha-2b in combination with various antioxidants against the influenza virus and Herpes simplex was studied. The standard strains and a clinical strain of Herpes simplex isolated from a patient with resistance to acyclovir were used. The in vitro studie showed that antioxidants, such as alpho-tocoferol acetate (vitamin E), Unithiol and ascorbic acid had a significant antiinfluenzae and antiherpetic action on the influenza virus A/H5N1 and Herpes simplex variants. They protected up to 100% of the cell monolayer from the virus cytopathic effect. The taurin solutions had no antiviral activity irrespective of the infection dose. Combinations of interferon-alpha-2b with alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), Unithiol or ascorbic acid showed a significant synergistic effect: the antiviral activity of interferon increased several times. The antiinfluenza activity of interferon-a-2b in the presence of various concentrations of taurin did not change.

Topics: Acyclovir; alpha-Tocopherol; Animals; Antioxidants; Antiviral Agents; Ascorbic Acid; Cell Line; Chlorocebus aethiops; Drug Synergism; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; Influenza, Human; Interferon alpha-2; Interferon-alpha; Kidney; Lung; Recombinant Proteins; Simplexvirus; Swine; Taurine; Unithiol; Vero Cells

Ascorbate is an important antioxidant. However, in the presence of transition metals such as Cu(II) or Fe(III), it also has pro-oxidant capabilities. The effect of ascorbate-Cu(II) in the in vitro infection of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and its protecting effect in a murine model was investigated. HSV-2 was treated with different concentrations of ascorbate in the presence of Cu(II). A group of CF-1 mice were treated with the inactivated virus and other treated with maintenance medium containing only ascorbate-Cu(II). Weeks later, mice were challenged intranasally with infectious viruses. HSV-2 was completely inactivated by 2mM ascorbate plus 1mM Cu(II). Ascorbate or Cu(II) alone did not inactivate the virus. Compared with the control group, 60% of the immunized animals did not show any sign of encephalitis and survived the herpes virus infection, while a 7% survival rate was observed in the control group (P = 0.056). We concluded that the in vitro treatment of HSV-2 with ascorbate-Cu(II) is not only able to inactivate the virus, but also suggested that the viral particles induced a protective response against herpes encephalitis. This inactivation may provide an alternative method to develop new agents therapeutics.

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Chlorocebus aethiops; Copper; Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex; Herpes Simplex; Herpesvirus 2, Human; Herpesvirus Vaccines; Immunization; Male; Mice; Vero Cells; Virus Inactivation

Topics: Adult; Aged; Ascorbic Acid; Eczema; Family Practice; Female; Herpes Simplex; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Male; Orthomolecular Therapy

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Haplorhini; Herpes Simplex; History of Medicine; Humans; Neoplasms

Treatment of mice with 6-hydroxydopamine increased herpes simplex virus replication in the superior cervical ganglion while it decreased the subsequent prevalence of latent infection. Preganglionic neurectomy failed to block this effect. These observations suggest that intrinsic neural events modify the outcome of viral infections of the nervous system.

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Eye Diseases; Female; Ganglia, Autonomic; Herpes Simplex; Hydroxydopamines; Immunity; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Simplexvirus

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Balanitis; Candidiasis, Oral; Carbonates; Female; Gastritis; Gingivitis; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Leukoplakia; Male; Mycoses; Osteomyelitis; Pressure Ulcer; Stomatitis; Tonsillitis; Vulvitis