Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Topical ether and herpes simplex labialis.

M E Guinan, J MacCalman, E R Kern

    JAMA
    |March 14, 1980
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Some clinical problems of mutual interest to dentist and pediatrician.

    Journal - Tennessee State Dental Association·2010
    Same author

    Rickettsial diseases of childhood; a clinical pathologic study of tick typhus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and murine typhus, endemic typhus.

    The Journal of pediatrics·2010
    Same author

    NIH consensus development statement on management of hepatitis B.

    NIH consensus and state-of-the-science statements·2008
    Same author

    Multiple sclerosis attacks are associated with picornavirus infections.

    Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)·2004
    Same author

    STAT1 binds to the herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-associated transcript promoter.

    Journal of neurovirology·2004
    Same author

    Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of topical 5% acyclovir-1% hydrocortisone cream (ME-609) for treatment of UV radiation-induced herpes labialis.

    Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy·2002
    Same journal

    WHO Issues Guidelines for Treating Ebola and Marburg Viruses.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    FDA Approves Additional Naloxone Nasal Spray for Opioid Overdose.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    HIV May Hide in More Cells Than Previously Thought-Here's What That Could Mean for a Cure.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    US Dietary Supplement Use Increasing, Especially in Older Adults.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    Heat Stress From Climate Change Surges Globally.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    Strength Training Linked With Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Women.

    JAMA·2026
    See all related articles

    Topical ether did not effectively treat recurrent herpes simplex labialis (cold sores). This study found no significant difference in healing or pain reduction compared to placebo, highlighting the strong placebo effect in cold sore treatment.

    Area of Science:

    • Virology
    • Dermatology
    • Clinical Pharmacology

    Background:

    • Recurrent herpes simplex labialis (cold sores) is a common viral infection.
    • Effective treatments for cold sores are sought to alleviate symptoms and reduce transmission.
    • Topical ether has been proposed as a potential antiviral agent for cold sores.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the efficacy of topical ether in treating recurrent herpes simplex labialis.
    • To compare the effects of topical ether versus placebo on lesion progression, healing time, and pain.
    • To assess the impact of topical ether on viral shedding and lesion viral titer.

    Main Methods:

    • A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 51 patients with recurrent herpes simplex labialis.
    • Patients received either topical ether or a placebo within 24 hours of lesion onset.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Objective measurements included lesion progression, healing time, pain intensity, viral excretion, and viral titer.

    • Main Results:

    • No significant differences were observed between the ether and placebo groups in lesion progression, healing time, pain, or viral shedding.
    • Topical ether did not appreciably reduce lesion viral titer, even with immediate post-application culturing.
    • A high percentage of patients in both groups reported subjective improvement, indicating a substantial placebo effect.

    Conclusions:

    • Topical ether is not an effective treatment for recurrent herpes simplex labialis.
    • The study underscores the significant placebo effect in herpes infection treatment.
    • Objective measurements are crucial for evaluating treatments, especially in conditions with a strong placebo response.