AIDS defining illnesses, their causes and treatment

By Study Group for AIDS Therapy
Treatment recommendations based on the works of Dr. Heinrich Kremer, Hamburg, Prof. Alfred Hässig, Berne and Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos, Royal Hospital, Perth and works of Leonore A. Herzenberg (Stanford University) and Jeffrey D. Peterson (Northwestern University) available at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Last Update: July 2001

The many and varied diseases that can define the AIDS syndrome: fungal infections of the lung, of the mucous membranes, the brain, and the gut, and the degenerative changes in the endothelial cells of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels (Kaposi Sarcoma), occur because of an ongoing heightened production of gaseous nitricoxide and oxygen radicals in immune cells and other cells. Under these conditions CD4 helper cells mature predominantly to cells with Th-2 cytokine profile, which migrate to the bone marrow, where they activate defenses against bacteria by producing antibodies, but only few mature to Th-1 cells measurable in plasma, which activate the detection and destruction of fungus and virus infected cells. If this situation persists, a higher quantity of proteins of the cytoskeleton and of mitochondria is released as an effect of heightened cell decay. Against these proteins a higher rate of the antibodies are formed. This antibodies and antibodies that occur in hepatitis and due to toxic pollution are detected by the HIV-antibody tests. Once a certain, arbitrary level is reached, the patient is declared "HIV positive".

A persistently elevated level of nitricoxide and oxygen radicals comes about as a result of:

• ongoing contact with antigens (e.g. from repeated or chronic infections, injuries, operations and dirty water),

• contact to toxic substances in food, medicaments and from environment pollution, toxic decomposition products from modern chemicals (heavy metals (carrier substances in vaccines, amalgam fillings), adjuvants in nutrients, colors etc.),

• inhalation of nitrites ("poppers") which are stored in cells as NO2. They are released through physical exertion on increased exposure to calcium ions. This affects the endothelial cells of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels with a small capillary diameter, and leads thereby to degenerative changes (swollen lymph nodes and finally to Kaposi Sarcoma),

• impairment of the mitochondria, the single cell energy suppliers, which synthesize the energy-carrying-molecule ATP, used for all functions of the organism.

The causes of chronic mitochondrial damage are:

• damage of the mitochondrial DNA due to antibiotics (e.g. sulpha compounds such as Septrim, TMPSMX) which block the synthetisation of folic acid and purine, and lead thereby to the exhaustion of the mitochondrial thiol-pool. Likely effects are caused by heavy metals and by cytostatics like AZT. All this substances bind the SH-groups of glutathione and cysteine and inhibit thereby the activity of mitochondria.

• reduced glutathione resulting from liver damage, e.g. chronic hepatitis (occuring frequently in gay men, hemophiliacs and intravenous drug consumers), excessive alcohol consumption, or through shortage of nutritional cysteine, esp. in developing countries. Glutathion molecules reduce oxygen- and nitricoxydemolecules, so that ATP production in mitochondria is not disturbed. An ongoing shortage of glutathione means that phagozyte poison themselves attacking fungi and virus containing cells by means of NO.

• reduced oxygen transport in cells because of oxidation (methhaemoglobinaemia) which exceeds the reductive capacity of glutathione. This comes about because of the strongly oxidizing effect of nitrites (poppers), antibiotics (Septrim, TMPSMX) and insecticides (e.g. Lindan in ointment against crab louse), nucleoside analogues, heavy metals and chemicals.

• lack of plant antioxidants which bind to toxic degradation products (oxygen radicals) and thereby reduce inflammation and stress reactions.

With prolonged impairment of mitochondria, they dissolve their symbiosis with the host ("Warburg Phenomenon"). Cells then increasingly switch over to producing energy by anaerobic fermentation, which results in excess lactic acid production, and the growth of fungi and opportunists, and ultimately to wasting, at which point cells obtain essential nutrients directly from the myoproteine. By a heightened activity of reverse transcription the cell nucleus then saves its genotype. The continuous activation of macrophages leads in this situation to an ongoing release of stress-hormones. The continuous activation of phagocytes then triggers the continuous release of messenger substances that mislead various reactions in the immune system.

By means of:

• A supply of sulphur compounds in sea salt, mineral water and algal products, and of cysteine and methionine containing protein mixtures, (Cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine and arginin (3-8 gramme daily), also in curd and whey) and folic acid (300 miligramme daily) can stimulate glutathione formation in the liver. Glutathione must be administered in the mean time intravenously (600 milligramme daily) until its formation in the liver works sufficiently again.

• Plant antioxidants, e.g. PADMA 28 (2-3 times 2 tablets daily) which bind to toxic oxygen decay products, and natural protease inhibitors, (heparine and heparinoids) in agar klamati- and kelp algae and cartilage preparations, which activate the body's own anti-proteases and bind to cations that attack the cell walls, can slow down chronic inflammatory reactions going along with increased cell division.

• Co-enzyme Q10 and NADH and high doses of Vitamin C and E can improve electron transport in the respiratory chain of cells. Folic acid (300 milligramme daily), thiols L-carnitin and low doses of selenium, (e.g. brewers' yeast), and zinc can support the synthetisation of ATP in mitochondria and the repair of damage to mitochondrial DNA.

• Opportunistic infections (fungy, PCP and others can be treated by omega-3 fatty acids in fishoil (3 tablespoons daily) In difficult cases gamma globulin, selective cyclooxygenese-2 inhibitors and difluoromethylornithine as a polyamine inhibitor can be administrated. The activity of killer cells and neutrophillia can be supported by the administration of glutamine (40 grammes daily) and L-Arginin (20-30 grammes daily).

• DHEAS (200 milligrammes daily) can diminish ongoing stress reactions in the immune system (TH1-TH2-switch) caused by the release of stress hormones (cortisol) in the adrenal gland.

• Essential fatty acids in linseed oil, thistle oil, soya oil and omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil mixed with curd, which enhance the uptake of oxygen in cells

• Carduus marianus to support the liver and partly fermented beverages that can restore the gut flora

• Ethereal oils, rubbed on to the chest and in the armpits serve to stimulate the immune system through the ground substance (matrix)

• Extract of grape fruit kernels (Citricidal) and gargling with honey/vinegar are helpful as a local treatment against fungal infection.

• Targeted stress reduction techniques, e.g. autogenic training, stretching and massages, and refraining from excessive physical exercise, using performance-enhancing drugs, e.g. coffee, alcohol, nicotine, amphetamines (X-tasy), cocaine, heroin and poppers.

• avoiding inflammatory reactions and over exertion by avoiding injuries and fearless observing of safer sex rules.

• of a nourishment poor in sugar but rich in roughage and bases, with much high-value carbohydrates and potatoe, plant antioxidants, e.g. vegetables, fruit, herbal and green teas, cold-pressed oils, partly fermented dairy products, algae, soya beans, and fish but not iron-rich red meat.

....a flexible resistance in people with AIDS defining illnesses can be restored.

If limited administration of antibiotics is necessary, this basic therapy has to be continued. Progress achieved by these measures to bolster the immune system can be monitored by measuring stress hormone profiles, the T4/T8 cell ratio, macrophage activation (neopterine test) and cutaneous anergy, the glutathione level in plasma and in T-4 helper cells.

HIV, which is held to be responsible for causing 30 different AIDS-defining diseases, has never been shown to be transmissible nor self-reproducing; it has never been isolated or otherwise properly characterized, as required by the established rules of virology. The original experimental technique of Gallo and Montagnier in 1984 on which the HIV-antibody-tests were constructed, involved culturing cells from AIDS patients with leukaemic cells and embryonal cells, that show a high activity of reverse transcription. This effect of an artificially amplified reverse transcription was then interpreted as signifying the presence a new virus. A virus-specific enzyme could not be approved according to the established rules. Synthetic protease inhibitors, which are supposed to inhibit the formation of essential viral building blocks, over time, cause malaise, diabetes, kidney stones and liver failure in patients given them. After PIs and nucleoside analogues are first given, an apparent decline in inflammatory reactions and „virus production" may be observed, but it then rises again, which is attributed to resistance developing. The long term administration of antibiotics and of s.c. nucleoside analogues, which are only ever 1% incorporated into the cell nucleus, where they should work as DNA terminators, cause damage to the mitochondrial DNA and thereby irreversible damage to the brain, to the bone marrow, to the muscles and internal organs.

Study Group for AIDS Therapy
c/o Felix A. de Fries
Eglistr. 7 CH-8004 Zürich
Tel./FAX: 0041 1 401 34 24
e-mail: felix.defries@bluewin.ch