title: Treatment of acyclovir-unresponsive cutaneous herpes simplex virus infection with topically applied SP-303.
abstract: The naturally occurring polyphenolic biopolymer SP-303 has in vitro activity against both HSV-1 and HSV-2, including strains that are resistant to acyclovir. Nine AIDS patients with acyclovir-unresponsive mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infection were treated with thrice daily topical SP-303T ointment in an open-label pilot study. Although a transient decrease in lesion size was observed in 4 patients during study drug therapy, and 3 patients sustained a quantitative decrease in virus burden, neither complete healing nor cessation of virus shedding occurred in any patient. Seven patients complained of pain or burning upon application of the study ointment, causing 1 patient to terminate the study. In summary, application of SP-303T ointment effected no significant improvement in the clinical course of 9 AIDS patients with acyclovir-unresponsive HSV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Safrin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McKinley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKeough
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Spruance
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002392:Catechin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044945:Proanthocyanidins
chemical_list: D000212:Acyclovir; D001704:Biopolymers; D002392:Catechin; C546704:crofelemer; D044945:Proanthocyanidins