To date, the human immunodeficiency virus is the most deadly. According to the latest information, on our planet about 35 million people are infected, who need a cure for HIV infection.
Is there a cure for HIV?
As is known, anti-viral drugs are used to combat this disease, which suppress the growth and multiplication of the virus, and prevent its introduction into healthy cells. Unfortunately, none of the drugs is able to completely rid the person of the infection, as the virus quickly adapts to treatment and mutates. Even the most scrupulous and responsible attitude to taking medication will help not to lose efficiency and prolong life for no more than 10 years. Therefore, it remains to be hoped that someday they will find or come up with a cure for HIV that will heal to the end.
Existing medicines
HIV is a retrovirus, that is, a virus that contains RNA in its cells. To combat it, drugs are used against HIV infection of a different principle of action:
- Inhibitors of reverse transcriptase.
- Protease inhibitors.
- Inhibitors of integrase.
- Inhibitors of fusion and penetration.
Preparations from all groups suppress the development of the virus at various stages of the cycle of its life. They interfere with the multiplication of HIV cells and block their enzymatic action. In modern medical practice, several antiretroviral drugs from different subgroups are used simultaneously, because such therapy is much more effective in preventing adaptation of the virus to the drug and the emergence of resistivity (stability) of the disease.
Now the period is expected when they will invent a universal medicine for HIV, which will have inhibitors of each class, not only to stop the growth of the virus, but also for its irreversible death.
In addition, for the treatment of infection, drugs that do not directly affect the cells of the virus are used, but allow the body to cope with its side effects and strengthen the immune system.
Will they find a cure for HIV?
Scientists around the world are constantly developing new drugs for HIV infection. Consider the most promising ones.
Nullbasic. This name was given to a drug that was invented by a scientist from the Institute for Medical Research in the city of Klinsland (Australia). The developer claims that, due to a change in the protein bonds of the virus under the action of the drug, HIV begins to fight itself. Thus, not only the growth and multiplication of the virus stops, but eventually the death of already infected cells begins.
In addition, when asked if this medicine will come from HIV, the inventor responds encouragingly - within the next 10 years. In 2013, experiments on animals have already begun, and further clinical trials are planned in humans. One of the successful results of studies is the translation of the virus into
SiRNA. Developed this medicine for HIV by American scientists from the University of Colorado. His molecule blocks the appearance of genes that promote the multiplication of cells of the virus, and destroys its protein shell. At the moment, active research is being carried out with experiments on transgenic mice, which showed that the molecules of the substance are completely non-toxic and allow the concentration of RNA of the virus to be reduced for a period of more than 3 weeks.
University scientists say that the further development of the technology of production of the proposed medicine will successfully combat not only HIV, but also AIDS.