M.Tech. / Since its discovery in 1983, millions of people worldwide have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is a singlestranded retrovirus belonging to the Lentivirinae subfamily of retroviruses and is responsible for the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) (Haslett et al, 2002). The infection results in a wide range of clinical manifestations related to defective cell-mediated immunity (Beers and Berkow, 1999). At the end of the twentieth century, over 21 million individuals worldwide had died from AIDS, over 34 million were living with the HIV infection, and over 95% of HIV-infected persons resided in developing nations (Klatt, 2005). At present, 40 million people worldwide are infected with HIV/AIDS of which more than 26 million reside in Africa (Treatment Access, 2005). Sutherlandia frutescens, a medicinal plant from South Africa has documented anti-cancer and antiviral activity. One of the active compounds of this plant is L-canavanine, a cytokine-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor (Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000). In minute doses, the iNOS inhibitor may stimulate nitric oxide (NO) release to counteract retrovirus replication. This study aimed to ascertain the effect of Sutherlandia frutescens 200CH on CD4 cell counts and symptomatology in persons infected with HIV. Study parameters involved recording of vital signs, symptomatology and CD4 analysis at three separate consultations over a ten-week period. All information was collected and collated for statistical or descriptive analysis. The research study was carried out on a random sample size of twenty-six participants, between the age of seventeen and fifty years over a period of ten weeks. Participants included both genders and had been previously diagnosed HIV-positive. Persons using antiretroviral treatment or falling into Category C as specified in the Centres for Disease Control Classification (Appendix B), were excluded from the sample group. Participants acted as own controls for the study with the use of a CD4 analysis baseline reading at the first consultation. Participants were then assessed at mid-term (week 5) and final consultations (week 10) during the study. Sutherlandia frutescens 200CH, in granule form, was taken sublingually once a day for two weeks, with participants then taking no medication for three weeks until the mid-term consultation. The treatment regimen was repeated in the second half of the study. Physical examinations to assess vital signs and opportunistic infections, completion of a health status questionnaire and report-back sessions were conducted at all consultations to determine a general symptomatic picture of research participants. Blood samples taken at all consultations were analysed for CD45+ white cell count, CD4 percentage of lymphocytes and absolute CD4 cell count. The McNemar test and a One Factor Repeated Measure (ANOVA) test were used to give statistical results and to form a profile analysis. Analysed results show that treatment with Sutherlandia frutescens 200CH significantly improves several common signs and symptoms experienced by HIV positive people, including oral candidiasis, fever and skin rashes; a number of other pathologies showed improvement, but not to a statistically significant level. The analysis of CD4 cell counts demonstrated a significant decrease of absolute CD4 cell counts during the course of the study, even in the presence of a stable CD4 percentage. Statistical analysis also indicated a lack of consistency in change of CD4 percentage and absolute CD4 between participants, as well as a lack of correlation between change of CD4 percentage and absolute CD4 changes. As NO was not tested directly no assumption can be made as to how these results might have been influenced. Further research into the use of Sutherlandia frutescens in the treatment of HIV is none the less to be recommended given its reported large number of medicinal properties and its extensive use as an herbal supplement in HIV treatment in South Africa.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:9922 |
| Date | 10 September 2012 |
| Creators | Davidson, Tanith Emily |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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