title: Herpes zoster treatments: results of a clinical trial relative to the use of rifamycin SV versus neuramide.
abstract: The authors describe a controlled clinical study in which rifamycin SV 250 mg intramuscularly and topical b.i.d. was compared to intramuscular neuramide b.i.d. plus, where necessary, other drugs (antibiotics, polivitamins, analgesics, etc.) for the treatment of two groups of thirty randomly selected patients suffering from herpes zoster. In all patients the symptoms were controlled by both treatments but statistical tests revealed that rifamycin SV was able to heal pain (p less than 0.05), vesicles, crusts and burning sensation (p less than 0.1) faster than neuramide. Furthermore, by the seventh day of therapy, the authors found that rifamycin SV reduced the intensity of both pain and erythema (p less than 0.01 for pain; p less than 0.05 for erythema) more than neuramide.
mesh_terms: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012294:Rifamycins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010455:Peptides; D012294:Rifamycins; C039202:neuramide; C023808:rifamycin SV