Anti-fungal cream Ciclopirox could help eradicate HIV

Sep 26, 2013 20:11 GMT  ·  By

A new paper in the scientific journal PLOS ONE argues that, according to evidence at hand, an FDA-approved foot cream that is commonly used to treat nail fungus could help eradicate HIV.

Thus, researchers at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School say that, after exposing several cell cultures to Ciclopirox, the cells that were infected with HIV did not take long to commit suicide.

Thanks to this altruistic behavior on their behalf, the infection did not spread to healthy cells.

“HIV-1 blocks apoptosis, programmed cell death, an innate defense of cells against viral invasion. However, apoptosis can be selectively reactivated in HIV-infected cells by chemical agents that interfere with HIV-1 gene expression,” the researchers write in the Abstract to their paper.

By the looks of it, the chemical compounds found in Ciclopirox are fairly effective in making it possible for HIV-infected cells to self-destruct in order to protect healthy ones.

Scientific American tells us that, even when the cells were taken off Ciclopirox, the virus did not make a comeback, as it more often than not happens in the case of antiviral treatments now used to tackle HIV infections.

“No viral re-emergence was observed even 12 weeks after drug cessation, suggesting elimination of the proviral reservoir,” the scientists explain.

The researchers are now looking into the possibility of rolling out clinical trials intended to determine whether or not said foot cream can treat HIV infections not only in laboratory cell cultures, but also in human patients.