title: A clinical pilot study of lignin--ascorbic acid combination treatment of herpes simplex virus.
abstract: Antiviral drugs as well as natural remedies have been used to reduce symptoms and the rate of recurrences of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection, a common disease. To evaluate anti-HSV-1 activity of a pine cone lignin and ascorbic acid treatment, a clinical pilot study was carried out. Forty-eight healthy patients of both genders between 4 and 61 years old (mean: 31+/-16 years), with active lesions of HSV-1, took part in the study. According to the HSV-1 stage at the presentation, the patients were classified into the prodromic (16 patients), erythema (11 patients), papule edema (1 patient), vesicle/pustule (13 patients) and ulcer stages (7 patients). One mg of lignin-ascorbic acid tablet or solution was orally administered three times daily for a month. Clinical evaluations were made daily the first week and at least three times a week during the second week after the onset and every six months during the subsequent year to identify recurrence episodes. The patients who began the lignin-ascorbic acid treatment within the first 48 hours of symptom onset did not develop HSV-1 characteristic lesions, whereas those patients who began the treatment later experienced a shorter duration of cold sore lesions and a decrease in the symptoms compared with previous episodes. The majority of the patients reported the reduction in the severity of symptoms and the reduction in the recurrence episodes after the lignin-ascorbic acid treatment compared with previous episodes, suggesting its possible applicability for the prevention and treatment of HSV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoria de Patologia Bucal, Facultad de Odontologia, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Mexico. gblancasilvia@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Blanca Silvia Gonzalez
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Masaji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Katsuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Utsumi
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aratsu
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakagami
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006560:Herpes Labialis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008031:Lignin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D028223:Pinus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008031:Lignin; D001205:Ascorbic Acid