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Preliminary Report On The Pilot Study of Capsulated
Nutritional Medicinal Plant Derived Antioxidants (Herbal Extracts)
Historical Background
Over the years, it has been observed in clinical practice that deficiency
in certain nutrients resulted in the invasion of the body by various micro-organisms
including bacterial, viral and fungal infections. This observation was
the basis for the conclusion that the prevention of these infections is
dependent on the inherent cellular and humoral immunity of the body which
gets down graded whenever these nutrients are no longer available in sufficient
quantities in food and consequently in our bodies. The increase in body
usage of these nutrients as is found in stressful condition swill automatically
lead to a deficiency unless the supply is increased. In the historical
records of Dr. Lind the British Sea Surgeon, we learn how a lack of fresh
fruits and vegetables led to the loss of lives among sailors who succumbed
to scurvy epidemics that characterised long sea voyages of the 15th - 18th
centuries. We also learn how anti-oxidants like ascorbic acid among others
played a vital role in the reversal of such cts in the immunity to common
bacterial and viral infections of those days. Those records indicate how
respiratory infections like tuberculosis and viral infections of the upper
respiratory tract including common colds became common causes of death
and chronic brile illness as characteristic of scurvy sufferers of those
days. Many of the sailors also suffered from oral and skin infections very
similar to present day oral candidiasis and mycotic skin infections seen
in AIDS sufferers.
In our first research programme, we observed a similarity between scurvy
and AIDS which convinced us that the two conditions have a lot in common
clinically and aetiologically. This is not to deny the role of HIV in the
aetiology of AIDS. The working hypothesis in our research was that in the
presence of an intact immune system, the HIV virus like herpes simplex
1 & 2, an individual could continue leading a normal life without developing
AIDS as we know it now. It is not until the immunity of an individual is
down graded by a febrile illness that one gets the manifestations of herpes
simplex (HSV). Both retrovirus HIV and HSV could be kept under control
by the power of the immune system for many years till a window of opportunity
comes about through a change in the internal environment of our bodies,
changes in the internal environment of our bodies come about through changes
in our diet or pollution and drug abuse.
A change in diet.
A diet deficiency in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and
amino acids will reduce the power of the immune system and it’s control
on bacterial, viral and fungal infects lost.
Increased nutrient requirement is also created by factors like:
1. Smoking cigarettes, cigars and Marijuana
2. Infections of the body by viral, bacterial and fungal infections
which produce toxins that poison the body and must be got rid of by using
nutrients.
3. Increased consumption of alcohol, drugs like cocaine or over use
of antibiotics may lead to a greater requirement of these essential nutrients
among which are anti-oxidants and minerals which are used up during the
process of detoxification of these poisonous compounds. Artificial colours
and sweeteners in fazzy drinks increase the burden on the body to find
the essential detoxification factors needed. Water and air pollution by
industrial wastes, herbicides and insecticides are an added burden. If
the supply of theses essential nutrients cannot be maintained, then their
essential functions cannot be maintained, then the immune system becomes
compromised leading to an invasion by bacterial and viral infections. The
presence of a rapid replication organism like the HIV will create an added
burden to the body which must deal with the stressful situation and consequently
the depletion of essential nutrients unless the supply is increased drastically.
The structural damage to cellular organs like mitochondr, romosomes, genes
and cytoplasmic teticulum, enzymes by the toxic wastes which cannot be
got rid of leads to the manifestations we find in AIDS including uncontrollable
opportunistic infections and neoplasms like Kaposi Sarcoma.
The poor nutritional status in which AIDS victims are often found is
not necessarily a result of a poor diet at the beginning of the syndrome.
Evidence for that is the good nutritional status of other family members
who do not have HIV. They are in almost every case well nourished without
any significant signs of malnutrition. The HIV victims we found in most
cases started off by a gradual loss of appetite and an increasing apathetic
mood. The loss of appetite gets worse as the immune system gets compromised
and opportunistic infections set in. They experience nausea at the sight
of food. Oral candidiasis progressively gives the victim a worsening dysphagia
and a reduction of food intake. Many to these patients abstain from solid
food and just continue with fruit juices of feezzy drinks for weeks and
months. It is during this state that the multiple vitamins and mineral
deficiency is established as a typical characteristic of AIDS. It is often
a starvation in the midst of plenty. The nutritional deficit thaase manifests
itself as multiple vitamin and mineral deficiency with their accompanying
characteristic features.
III health.
With this background observation we concluded that ill health is very
frequently related to bad nutrition. The healing of the body from disease
should start off with the correction of the deficiency within the body
caused by a poor diet which weakened the natural immunity which defends
it against diseases. It is known that certain poisons like benzene which
when they get into the body, concentrate in certain tissues like the thymus
gland causing severe structural damage. We know that T-helper lymphocytes
mature in the thymus which if damaged will deprive the body immunity of
the most important single component of our defence against viral infections,
the T-helper lymphocytes. Similarly lack of elements like selenium or zinc
will lead to a deficiency in essential antioxidants like glutathione peroxide
and others which detoxicate dangerous substances like free radicals. This
is how AIDS starts. The liver that is responsible for the detoxification
of such poisons lacks the necessary nutrients to make enzymes.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and is obtained from fruits and
vegetables. It serves many functions like bone tissue and collagen formation.
It is a free radical scavenger and promotes absorption of nutrients like
iron. It promotes growth of tissues. Biotin maintains skin, hair, sex glands
and nerves in working condition., in conditions like AIDS we see their
deficiency leading to desquamation of the skin, lassitude, somnolence,
muscle pain, hyperesthesia seborrheic dermatitis. Sweet corn, sweet potato,
tomato, apple or avocado easily correct the deficiency. Some of the required
nutrients are up to now unknown to science but found in plat extracts or
herbs.
Neruropathies found in AIDS are easily corrected with a supply of vitamins
B2 & B6 (Pyridoxin) contained in foods like cereals and fruits. they
are essential for the metabolism of protein, carbohydrates and fats. They
maintain the functions of nerves and brains. These disorders are common
place in AIDS. The pellagrous rashes seen in AIDS are nicotinic acid related
and a good supply of foods rich in these essential nutrients prevents or
stops it.
The proper functioning of islets of lamghans for insulin production
and glucose tolerance depends on a good supply of chronium and manganese.
Impaired glucose tolerance is associated with a deficiency in manganese
and chronium. Our patients that had AIDS with associated insulin dependent
diabetes responded well to Mariandina A by which we corrected the deficiency
among other things. Buaum K. M et al: in their experiments got significant
decrease in CD4 cell number in participants who became vitamin B12 deficient.
(Baum K. M et al: Micronutrients and HIV-1 Disease Progression AIDS 9:
1052 - 1056, 1995).
In the IX International Conference on AIDS in Vancouver, Tanga, A,
et al reported in an abstract ( Tang A et a: The role of Serum Micronutrient
Level sin HIV -1 Disease Progession. The XI International Conference on
AIDS, Vancouver 1996. Abstract No. C.320) that HIV infected persons with
low serum B12 levels had an approximate two fold increase in risk of progression
into AIDS while subjects with increased serum vitamin E levels had a greater
than 30% decrease in risk progression into AIDS.
There are micronutrients that are found in roots, stems and leaves
of many wild plants which are used traditionally in Africa, Asia and Europe.
These contain rare minerals and so far unidentified extracts which when
made available to the human body produce beneficial effects on the immune
system and other body functions. We identified some of these and included
them in the formulation of Mariandina B & J. The inclusion of such
extracts was aimed at the presence of HIV, HSV 1 & 2, HZ ( Herpes Zoster)
and Viral Kaposi among other cancer causing virus which could not respond
to the original formula of Mariandina A.
Case report.
Herpes Simplex type 2. 9 patients with genital herpes were selected
for the pilot study. They were all HIV test reactive (Elisa) and on Mariandina
A treatment. They all had persistent genital sores. 6 females, 3 males.
All had been tested for VDRL and found non-reactive. The average duration
of the sores 4/12 months. They were all treated as out patients by adding
to their drug 6 capsules a day of Mariandina J. Six of the patients reported
improvement in 7 days. After 4 weeks all patients reported significant
healing of the sores and improvement of their genital sores. They all remained
free from attacks of common cold symptoms which had been a problem for
4 of the patients for a long time. Treatment was continued for a total
of 8 weeks. No recurrence was observed in all patients. There was one who
chose to keep on with Mariandina J for longer despite the healed sores.
TRIAL WITH MARIANDINA ‘J’ ON VIRAL KAPOSI
Mariandina J has been used on 6 cases of Kaposi Sarcoma. These are
patients who presented with lesions of Kaposi Sarcoma on the skin, oral
cavity and pulmonary lesions that were characteristic with cough which
did not respond to anti tuberculosis treatment. One patient had severe
bleeding from the lungs (haemoptysis).
Case 1
This was a lady with HIV positive history at another hospital she had
been admitted for coughing blood (haemoptysis). The first diagnosis was
tuberculosis but anti tuberculosis treatment failed to change the clinical
progress of cough with blood in the sputums (haemoptysis). X-rays of the
chest later together with the discovery of palatal and skin lesions of
Kaposi Sarcoma changed the diagnosis to Kaposi Sarcoma. She was brought
to Mariandina Clinic on 2nd July 1996. She became the first patient to
use Mariandina J for Kaposi Sarcoma. She was given 3 capsules three times
a day and allowed to go home 88 miles away. This was because nobody gave
her any chance of surviving the haemoptysis (blood in the sputum) for long.
Staying in hospital was thought to be a waste of her meagre financial resources.
To our surprise she came back after one whole month and reported that she
never had any more haemoptysis after starting on Mariandina J. A repeat
x-ray of her chest showed a moderate improvement . encouraged by her onse,
we gave her more capsules of Mariandina J and her improvement continued.
It is now 7 months of remission to date. She has not had any more cough
and her clinical improvement has persisted up to now.
Encouraged by the first patient, we have tried the same on seven other
patients with lesions of Kaposi Sarcoma on the skin and palate. These had
the visual observation of the changes in the colour of the Kaposi Sarcoma
lesions. They all indicated a graded reduction in size and darkness of
colour.
The dosage of Mariandina J for cases of Kaposi Sarcoma, HSV 1 &
2 (cold sores and genital sores), Herpes Zoster is three capsules three
times a day for adults. There were no toxic side effects when such a dose
was administered continuously for 4 months in the case of Kaposi Sarcoma.
One patient reported a mild diarrhoea which lasted 2 days. The patients
reported a rapid onset of pain relief especially in the case of Herpes
Simplex 2 and Herpes Zoster. These patients suffered no post herpetic neuralgia
that our other patients experienced when other conventional treatments
were used. In the case of Herpes Simplex 2 we would recommend a maintenance
dose of one capsule a day for 3 months to avoid recurrence during the period
of low CD4 count.
We recommend that Mariandina B is given in subsequent months together
with Mariandina A for the boosting of the immune system which combats the
HIV & HSV.
COMMON COLDS
The effect of Mariandina on the common cold virus was given a preliminary
study on 4 patients while awaiting a wider trial. The symptoms of a cold
were taken to be.
1. Sneezing
2. Pyrexia, cough associated with pharyngitis, Rhinitis and tracheitis.
These symptoms and signs may last between 4 - 10 days and in some patients
longer. There may be severe secondary bacterial infections requiring anti-biotics.
Administration of Mariandina J 2x3 of 3x3 suppressed these symptoms within
12 hours. When this was maintained for 24 - 48 hours, the symptoms did
not recur.
A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON MARIANDINA J.
Patient’s name: H. S.
Age: 46 yrs
Sex: Male
History
This patient was referred from Royal hospital in Oman with the following
diagnoses
On 04/01/97, he was started on Mariandina A 3x3, Mariandina B 2x3,
Mariandina J 3x3 among other supportive therapy. By the time he was discharged
on 18/02/97, both the oral and cutaneous lesions of Kaposi Sarcoma had
markedly reduced in size. We have seen him three times as an out patient
and the lesions in the oral cavity are almost gone while the cutaneous
lesions are progressively thinning out.
Patient’s name : Kawoya P
Age: 32 yrs
Sex: Female
Occupation: Nurse
History.
She had oral and skin lesions of Kaposi Sarcoma. On the 18/09/96 she
was started on Mariandina B 1x2, Mariandina A 1x2 and Mariandina J 1x3
daily. By 06/11/96, the patient reported that the lesions were beginning
to reduce in size and by 27/01/97, the lesions in the oral cavity and skin
were minimal, while that on the dorsum of the right foot had flattened
out. Many other patients have had similar benefits.
Our experience is that patients who receive a high dose of j (3x3)
improve faster than those receiving lower doses. Before the introduction
of Mariandina J, we did not notice such improvement of Kaposi Sarcoma lesions
while the patients were on Mariandina A & B alone, and we used to refer
them to Uganda Cancer Institute for either Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy
but now we do not refer them to UCI thereby saving the patients the toxic
side of such treatment.
Similarly, Mariandina J in high doses (3x3) is beneficial to patients
with herpes zoster and herpetic ulcers. The above observations, indicate
that Mariandina J is not only active against HIV but it is also active
against Kaposi Sarcoma ‘virus’ and Herpes Simplex virus (the that virus
that causes cold sores and genital sores).
THE USE OF ANTI-OXIDANTS AND MICRONUTRIENTS IN THE CONTROL OF DIABETES
MELLITUS IN AIDS.
CLINICAL RECORDS.
The traditional treatment of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)
is based on the control of blood sugar levels using insulin and the diet.
The patients are strictly advised by their doctors to watch what they
eat, monitor blood sugar and their urine for evidence of glycosuria.
The patient has to strictly use one or two self administered injections
of insulin every day for life in most cases. Any negligence on the part
of the sufferer could result into Ketosis and diabetic coma. The development
of diabetic retinopathy, polyneuropathy is high despite all the medical
care one may be given.
OBJECTIVE
The study was to establish the value of anti oxidants and micronutrients
in the management of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. It had been previously
noticed that patients on Mariandina A treatment which provided a wide range
of antioxidants and micronutrients resulted into a very marked improvement
of the AIDS related complex including insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
in patients with AIDS.
METHODS
This is a clinical report on a cohort of 27 diabetic patients that
were selected for study between January 1993 - January 1995 from the cases
seen at the clinic.
It is an unblinded study of patients with HIV/AIDS with insulin dependent
diabetes mellitus as a clinical finding. The patients’ consent was obtained
on admission for the treatment of HIV/AIDS using Mariandina pills.
Criteria for inclusion: All those selected were patients with symptomatic
HIV infection and each was tested for seropositivity using ELISA method.
They all had CD4 cell count of 100 - 500 cell per cubic mm.
The clinical end point in this study was when patients achieved normal
blood sugar levels and became free from glycosuria for fourteen consecutive
months while not using insulin or any other hypoglycaemic drugs. The patients
used in this study were subjected to monthly assessment of urine tests
for hlycosuria.
The patients were given a clinical examination and laboratory test
to determine their health status before commencing the treatment for HIV/AIDS.
Ilaematology included a haemorgram and immunology. Any opportunistic
infections were treated as required, using antibiotics, patients that had
diabetes mellitus were treated using hypoglycaemic drugs as determined
by a physician.
Anti oxidants and micronutrients code named Mariandina were administered
for treatment of HIV/AIDS (U) in tablet form amounting to 4500 mg three
times a day, for 22 months.
RESULTS
The patients that were used in this study received a monthly clinical
evaluation. There was a progressive clinical improvement observed among
the patients that were being treated for HIV/AIDS using Mariandina.
The diabetic patients received careful monitoring of their diabetes
as far as blood sugar and glycosuria was concerned.
There were patients that were being managed in special clinics for
diabetes in Rubaga and Nsambya. Those were advised to continue reporting
in their regular clinics for the supply of drugs. These patients progressively
reported diminishing requirements for insulin as the treatment for HIV/AIDS
progress. This was independently observed by their doctors in such clinics
who reduced the dosage of hypoglycaemic drugs.
Out of 27 patients observed having diabetes mellitus, 22 of them stopped
using insulin in 6 months (24 weeks). Among them were three patients that
took four months (12 weeks) on the average to require no more insulin.
The other remaining 5 patients took an advantage of 28 weeks require
no more usage of insulin injections. The longest one patient persisted
with the use of insulin among the over 24 months was 32 weeks. This was
attributed to his irregular attendance of clinics to collect Mariandina
pills.
There were no deaths among the 27 patients selected for this study
and not a single case developed a crisis like diabetes ketosis during this
period of study. Out of the 27 patients treated, 23 patients were followed
up for 14 months after the diabetes stopped. 19 were still free from IDDM
after 18 months and they were still using Mariandina pills for their HIV/AIDS
treatment as maintenance dose. Four of the patients stopped using Mariandina
pills for a period ranging between 10 - 16 weeks and still remained free
from diabetes and any other AIDS related problems.
DISCUSSION
The records of Nsambya and Rubaga Hospitals specialising in HIV/AIDS
cases but also catering for diabetes mellitus showed patients that have
been regular in their attendance for years. A cohort of 19 patients was
selected from them for comparison. These were patients that were HIV seropositive
and diabetic. Comparison for the same period with patients in the Mariandina
study.
These patients were treated by their physicians for any opportunistic
infections but none of them used Mariandina pills. Nine of them admitted
to being registered TASO (The AIDS Support Organisation) which subsidised
their food and supply of drugs for opportunistic infections.
There was not a single case among these patients that got off the use
of hypoglycaenic drugs during this period of between Jan 1993 and Dec.
1995. Their diabetes in most cases got worse forcing them to use more insulin
or any hypoglycaemic drug they were using then. Two of these patients died
as a result of diabetic ketosis during the study period.
CONCLUSION
The common finding is that in AIDS the pancreas islets degenerate and
often CMV infection is involved leading to diabetes mellitus. Others have
used partamidine while treating PUP damaging B-cells of the pancreas. The
use of antioxidants and micronutrients had beneficial effects on patients
with HIV/AIDS and diabetes mellitus to the extent of causing regression
of symptoms and signs related to diabetes mellitus for over 18 months.
The duration of the regeneration period taken by the islets of Langhans
to produce normal levels of insulin was found to vary between 4 - 7 months
while the patient undergoes Mariandina treatment for HIV/AIDS. It is during
this period that the patient’s requirements for insulin or any hypoglycaemic
medication gradually gets reduced and finally eliminated. The hypothesis
we hold is that there is regeneration of the insulin producing and that
the causative agent if any is eliminated completely or partially.
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