rifamycin-sv and Herpes-Zoster

The authors describe a controlled clinical study in which rifamycin SV 250 mg intramuscularly and topical b.i.d. was compared to intramuscular neuramide b.i.d. plus, where necessary, other drugs (antibiotics, polivitamins, analgesics, etc.) for the treatment of two groups of thirty randomly selected patients suffering from herpes zoster. In all patients the symptoms were controlled by both treatments but statistical tests revealed that rifamycin SV was able to heal pain (p less than 0.05), vesicles, crusts and burning sensation (p less than 0.1) faster than neuramide. Furthermore, by the seventh day of therapy, the authors found that rifamycin SV reduced the intensity of both pain and erythema (p less than 0.01 for pain; p less than 0.05 for erythema) more than neuramide.

Topics: Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Antiviral Agents; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Administration Schedule; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Peptides; Rifamycins

In a controlled clinical trial undertaken in ten Italian centres, rifamycin SV was compared to associations of various drugs such as erythromycin, aureomycin, multivitamin preparations, etc, in the treatment of herpes zoster. Up to now 144 patients, suffering from herpes zoster at different localizations, were divided into three groups and randomly given either rifamycin SV by intramuscular injection and topically, or rifamycin SV by injection only, or the routine treatment used at the particular centre in question. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatments, the presence of subjective and objective symptoms was determined before treatment started and daily thereafter. The duration, in days, of the most important symptoms, such as erythema, vesicles, scabs and pain, was considered for this partial evaluation. All the above-mentioned symptoms constantly showed a shorter duration in the two groups treated with rifamycin SV compared to the group treated with other therapies, with differences as significant on statistical calculation as they were important on the level of a clinical evaluation of the disease's course.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Clinical Trials as Topic; Female; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Injections, Intramuscular; Male; Rifamycins

Topics: Drug Therapy, Combination; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Inosine; Inosine Pranobex; Male; Middle Aged; Rifamycins