POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Nutrition & HIV => Topic started by: MitchMiller on October 20, 2009, 01:22:00 am
-
Not sure if this has been posted, but I couldn't find it. Sounds like I'll be adding Black Walnut Hulls to my regimen. Already ordered them in pill form as well as drops from webvitamins.com. Some research I did found that the active chemical mentioned in the article in found most abundantly in the hulls. Also found in the bark, roots, and leaves of the tree. Nothing mentioned about the nut itself.
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/recent/2009/101609_b.html
Small Molecule Compound 5HN Flushes Out Latent HIV in Reservoir CD4 T-cells
A newly identified compound known as 5HN appears to "flush out" HIV from latent T-cells, potentially making the virus susceptible to eradication from the body, according to research published in the October 1, 2009 advance online edition of Journal of Clinical Investigation.
By Liz Highleyman
Current antiretroviral drugs do a good job of stopping HIV replication in the blood, but they cannot reach the latent "reservoir" of virus hidden in long-lived inactive CD4 T-cells. Furthermore, as long as this virus remains hidden, it can evade immune surveillance and rebound rapidly if treatment is interrupted.
Researchers have proposed various strategies for activating these cells and thereby releasing the sequestered virus, but complete eradication -- a cure -- has proven elusive.
In the present study, Robert Siliciano from Johns Hopkins University and colleagues aimed to find a better method of re-activating latent HIV, since non-specific or global activation of T-cells has unacceptable adverse effects associated with cytokines (chemical messengers) that trigger a systemic inflammatory response.
The researchers developed a novel in vitro model of HIV-1 latency. In a laboratory study, human primary CD4 T-cells were transduced with the "pro-survival" protein Bcl-2, which inhibits apoptosis, or "cell suicide," through the interleukin-7 (IL-7) signalling pathway. The resulting cells over-expressed Bcl-2, allowing them to mimic the sustained "quiescent" or inactive state of resting CD4 cells in the body.
The investigators then used this model system to search for agents that could reverse viral latency, screening some 2400 small-molecule compounds.
Results
17 compounds were identified that stimulated HIV re-activation and replication.
The most active compound -- 5-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione (5HN), derived from the black walnut tree -- reactivated latent HIV without causing global T-cell activation.
Unlike previously described latency-reversing agents, 5HN activated latent HIV-1 through reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappa-B).
The new compound, however, did not affect nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) or protein kinase C theta (PKC-theta).
These results, the study authors wrote, demonstrate that T-cell receptor signalling pathways "can be dissected and utilized to purge latent virus."
"Our study expands the number of classes of latency-reversing therapeutics and demonstrates the utility of this in vitro model for finding strategies to eradicate HIV-1 infection," they concluded.
"Because of the high cost and potential toxicities of long-term HAART and the disappointing results from the clinical trials of HIV-1 vaccines and microbicides, there is still a pressing need for pursuing the goal of eradication," the researchers elaborated in their discussion.
"To cure HIV-1 infection is exceptionally challenging and will likely require combining HAART with agents that can purge latent virus," they continued. "Although the toxicities of 5HN raise concerns for its clinical application, this is a proof of concept for this approach to finding novel strategies to reactivate latent HIV-1 without inducing global T-cell activation."
On a cautionary noted, Siliciano pointed out that recent research indicates that there appears to also be a second, not yet identified, HIV reservoir, and achieving a cure may require finding ways to target this reservoir as well.
Department of Medicine and Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, MD.
10/16/09
-
I was interested in that research finding so looked further on the net about the history of black walnuts in healing arts.
You will find many references to black walnuts for various ills. But also you will find repeated warnings that you need to use walnut potions under the care of an experienced herbalist because there are also toxicities.
Please proceed caustiously but with hope.
Will be great to learn more as these investigations continue.
-
Interesting. When Dr. Hulda Clark prescribed this "alternative" treatment with Black Walnut more than 16 years ago, [As in "The Cure for HIV and Aids", 1993 edition], the medical community labelled her, besides many other things, as a Quack. Guess they are now just waiting to put a patent on it to make it legit. ::)
As usual, all the wasted years. More power to the real wise men/women of natural medicine. :-*
Looks who's laughing now? ;D
-
The black walnut is proposed as an agent to wake up dormant HIV in resevoirs. The person would need to be on HAART, which will take care of the virus. Black walnut is not being researched as an anti-viral and thus "cure" for HIV.
-
Been on HAART, same meds, for 6.5 years now.
Yes, there's always a risk using herbs, especially w/HIV meds. I guess I should try to see if there's any reference on synergism w/HIV meds.
My Black Walnut .5ml (1:1) fresh green hull in 45% ethanol has shipped. I also order tablets but they were discontinued. Now I hope the fact that the tincture is 45% ethanol won't degrade the active ingredient I'm looking for. I am guessing not, since that same ingredient is used as a deworming agent and that is one of the uses noted for the tincture.
At any rate, maybe I'll finally have peace of mind that I'm worm free.
-
hi,
what is recommened dose and duration for meaningful result?
-
The research has all been done in the labs, nothing in humans as far as I know.
The tincture has wide range of recommended doses. Says 15 - 30 drops up to 3 times daily. However, it warns to stop using it if you experience side effects. It is recommended not to use it for long periods of time, but not sure what "long" is.