Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 2, 2026

New Tools to Expand Regulatory T Cells from HIV-1-infected Individuals
09:27

New Tools to Expand Regulatory T Cells from HIV-1-infected Individuals

Published on: May 30, 2013

Is vitamin E supplementation a useful agent in AIDS therapy?

Y Wang1, R R Watson

  • 1Nutritional Sciences Program, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.

Progress in Food & Nutrition Science
|October 1, 1993
PubMed

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a clinical disorder caused by a retrovirus infection, representing the end point in a progressive sequence of immunosuppressive changes. The literature is briefly summarized as to immunological, nutritional and other pathological modifications caused by AIDS, and properties of immunoenhancing, anti-oxidant and undernutrition-restoration of vitamin E supplementation. All these abnormalities in AIDS are similar to those that are stimulated or restored by intake of high doses of vitamin E. The drawbacks of pharmacological therapy like zidovudine (AZT), e.g. deleterious toxic side effects, inability to improve the immune dysfunctions and undernutrition initiated by the retrovirus infection, and finding of AZT-resistant HIV strains, necessitate new strategies for the clinical trials of novel therapies to treat AIDS with the existing medical therapies. Low toxicity nutritional agents with immunoenhancing and antioxidant activities like vitamin E may help to normalize retrovirus-induced immune dysfunctions, undernutrition and other pathological symptoms, thereby retarding the progression of the disease to AIDS. To address this vitamin E therapeutic role in HIV-positive individuals, This paper presents a review of vitamin E-related therapeutic roles in animals and humans, thereby showing why vitamin E supplementation could be used as a useful therapeutic agent in human AIDS therapy. Since there is a paucity of information available regarding the nutritional therapy in AIDS individuals, our purpose is to provide evidence from animal models or humans of the potential therapeutic role of vitamin E supplementation in the treatment of AIDS individuals.

More Related Videos

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors05:46

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors

Published on: April 9, 2014

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors10:29

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Published on: May 9, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists01:23

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists

Prostacyclin receptor agonists are a class of therapeutic agents integral to managing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). These drugs operate by mimicking the action of prostaglandin I2, or PGI2, a naturally occurring compound in the body.
These agonists bind to the IPR receptor situated on the plasma membrane of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This binding triggers a cascade of reactions known as the GS-AC-cAMP-PKA pathway. This pathway results in the relaxation of smooth muscle...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I01:29

Pulmonary Tuberculosis I

Tuberculosis, often called TB, is a contagious illness primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lung parenchyma but can also impact other body parts.
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Atherosclerosis III: Management01:26

Atherosclerosis III: Management

Management of atherosclerosis involves an integrated strategy encompassing pharmacological treatment, surgical interventions, lifestyle changes, and nutrition therapy to address the multifactorial nature of the disease.Pharmacological TherapyA cornerstone of atherosclerosis management is the use of pharmacological agents. Statins, such as atorvastatin, are pivotal in inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that catalyzes an initial step in cholesterol synthesis in the liver. This reduction in...
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis01:30

Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis

Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...