Pharmaceuticals drugs for AIDS

Pharmaceutical medicines

The HIV virus which causes AIDS replicates, infecting the healthy cells of  the affected person. The  pharmaceutical (allopathic) medicines used for AIDS try to slow down the speed at which the HIV virus multiplies and are called antiretroviral drugs. They consist of a combination of  medicines, since virus quickly becomes resistant to the drug, if  the affected person is treated with a single drug at a time. If multiple drugs are taken simultaneously, they are more effective.

The different medicine capsules are either packed together in a blister pack or multiple drugs are combined in a single pill, capsule or tablet - a fixed dose combination (FDC). The combination of drugs used depends on the age, gender and health history of  the affected person. Some of widely used drugs for AIDS treatment are zidovudine, tenofovir, stavudine, abacavir, lamivudine,  emtricitabine, efavirenz, nevirapine. Many of the medicines have side effects, so they should be taken only after consulting a doctor.

Natural and herbal medicines and treatments

Natural treatment for AIDS try to strengthen the immune system of  the affected person. Herbs like astragalus, echinacea, and ginkgo improve the immunity of the affected person. Garlic is useful for fighting against bacteria and viruses. Aloe vera, St. Johnswort, echinacea, licorice, and ginseng are used to treat ulcers and other problems when AIDS has spread in the body. Cat's claw, a vine from South America has been useful for treating  AIDS and other diseases like cancer.

Herbal medicines are often used in combination with alternative treatment methods like massage, acupuncture and meditation. While the effectiveness of herbal medicines for treatment of  AIDS has not been scientifically proven, these usually have fewer side effects compared to allopathic drugs.