Effect of immunomodulating and antiviral agent of medicinal mushrooms (immune assist 24/7) on CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts of HIV-infected patients

Int J Med Mushrooms. 2011;13(2):109-13. doi: 10.1615/intjmedmushr.v13.i2.20.

Abstract

Immune enhancement through the use of natural products is a potentially valuable therapeutic modality in HIV-infected people, especially those who are not good candidates for aggressive ARV therapy. One such immune enhancement, a medicinal mushroom product from the United States, is Immune Assist 24/7. In this study the effect of Immune Assist 24/7, which is a naturally derived immune-modulating and antiviral agent, on CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts was evaluated in 8 HIV-infected patients at the Sunyani Regional Hospital (Ghana). The subjects were administered three tablets of 800 mg Immune Assist 24/7 once daily (2.4 g/day) and peripheral blood samples were drawn at baseline, day 30, and day 60, and the CD4+ count measured. The study revealed that Immune Assist 24/7, used as a sole therapeutic agent without additional ARV drugs, significantly increased CD4+ T-lymphocyte populations in all of the patients. In one patient, the CD4+ T-lymphocyte count went from 4 at the baseline, to 170 cells in 60 days, representing an increase of more than 4000%. In another patient, the CD4+ count went from 88 to 470 cells within the same period. Even in the patients with the highest CD4+ counts of around 800, there was a significant elevation in the CD4+ count noted. This study did not deal with the effect of Immune Assist 24/7 on other immune parameters such as CD3+ T-lymphocyte count, natural killer cells count, or viral load among HIV-infected patients. These initial results are promising, and indicate the potential value of further evaluating the effects of Immune Assist 24/7 on other immune parameters and viral load among HIV patients, administered either as a sole therapeutic agent, as an adjuvant with standard ARV therapy, or in comparison with standard ARV therapy alone.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Agaricales / chemistry
  • Agaricales / immunology*
  • Anti-HIV Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / virology
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / immunology*
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV-1*
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • beta-Glucans / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Immunologic Factors
  • beta-Glucans