If this is not your name, click here.
| | If this is not your name, click here. | | |
| | Contact Us | Order Now | Journals | Bookstore | Register a colleague | | |
| |  Findings Show Cortisol's Major Role in AIDS and Other Diseases PARIS, June 21, 1996 -- Researchers from Europe and the US gathered here today to launch the International Association of Researchers in Cortisol and Anti-Cortisols (IARCA) and present new findings showing the negative causal effect of cortisol in diseases for which current treatments still remain unsatisfactory. The founding of the new association constitutes the group's first initiative and marks the beginning of IARCA's contribution to improving the understanding of the mechanisms of cortisol and its effect on human behavior and health. Cortisol -- a powerful hormone produced by the adrenal gland -- is found at a higher than normal level in many diseases and conditions such as depression, alcoholism, substance abuse, anorexia nervosa, heavy smoking, cancer, ulcers, myocardial infarction, diabetes, chronic painful conditions (organic, i.e. arthritis and psychological), strokes/cardiovascular accidents, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, skin diseases (psoriasis, acne, eczema), stress, aging/Alzheimer's, AIDS and even Space Adaptation Syndrome. During the meeting, international researchers presented evidence in support of high cortisol as a cause or major cause of such diseases. "There has been a dramatic change in our understanding of how cortisol affects the human body, and how 'high cortisol' precedes diseases rather than being the result thereof. For example, the side effects induced by cortisol when used in the treatment of certain diseases are identical to symptoms and opportunistic infections encountered in AIDS," said Dr. Alfred Sapse (Director of Research, Steroidogenesis Inhibitors, Las Vegas USA). "This new concept opens the possibility to view anti- cortisol drugs as a new and beneficial therapy for diseases which are still poorly understood and thus inadequately treated." Results presented during the meeting by French researchers confirm this new approach to cortisol. In five retrospective and prospective studies(1) (2)conducted by Prof. Emmanuel A. Nunez and Dr. Nevena Christeff (Dept. of Endocrine Biochemistry, Bichat Hospital, Paris), results indicated that serum cortisol is elevated at all stages of HIV-infection (+20 to 60%) particularly in AIDS patients (stage IVC as defined by the Center for Disease Control criteria). "These significant cortisol differences from HIV-negative and AIDS patients could represent not only a good index of diagnosis and prognosis, but also indicate new therapeutic approaches to the disease," said Professor Emmanuel Nunez. In contrast, serum DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is higher during the early stages of the disease (asymptomatic, stages II and III) than during advanced stages (IVC) or control groups, and below the normal level during advanced stages of AIDS (IVC). The results presented showing elevated cortisol during all stages of HIV-infection and high serum DHEA only during the early asymptomatic stages, suggest that the cortisol/DHEA ratio might be used as a possible early sign of HIV-positive switch towards AIDS. Researchers have already started to explore the therapeutic benefits of such an approach through the use of anti-cortisol drugs, such as RU-486, DHEA, Ketaconazole, Anticort and Tianeptine. In 'in vitro' studies conducted recently (Weiner, 1995), results obtained showed that by blocking cortisol, not only the infectivity of HIV was blunted, but also the production of HIV by the already infected cells which dropped by 70%. Anticort, a high dose form of stabilized procaine HCL, is being successfully tested in pilot clinical studies in Brazil and the U.S., in HIV+ and AIDS populations. To further the understanding of cortisol and potential benefits of anti-cortisols, the members of IARCA intend to hold a second conference on the topic which will tentatively take place in Las Vegas, Nevada in September 1997. (1) Christeff N, Michon C, Goertz G, Hassid J, Matheron S, Girard PM, Coulaud JP, Nunez E, Abnormal free fatty acids and cortisol concentrations in the serum of AIDS patients, Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol 1988; 24:1179-83. (2) Christeff N, Gharakhanian S, Thobie N, Rozenbaum W, Nunez E. Evidence for changes in adrenal and testicular steroids during HIV infection, Jour of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 1992; 5:841-846.
|
