Drug might lessen HIV brain impact

[The Straight Story]

Drug might lessen HIV brain impact

United Press International

Thursday, May 5, 2005

BALTIMORE, May 04, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- An antibiotic in use for 30 years might help relieve brain and nervous system effects of the AIDS virus, U.S. researchers said.

Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University found monkeys treated with the antibiotic minocycline had less brain damage and inflammation and less viral infection of in the central nervous system.

Treatment with anti-retroviral medications can help control HIV infection elsewhere in the body, but the method can cause neurological problems, in part because Minocycline was formulated to cross the blood-brain barrier.

HIV is the retrovirus that causes AIDS.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_24486.html

[iconoclastic cat]

1. But HIV doesn't even cause AIDS, haven't you heard?

/joke