Five Chinese herbs - effective as anti HIV drugs

Five Chinese herbs have been found effective as anti-retroviral drugs that slow the progress of HIV, and two others are good for prolonging the life of patients in the final stage of lung cancer. The five herbs which have raised hope for Aids patients were introduced by the Kunming Institute of Botany of China.

Paichit Varachit, deputy director-general of the Medical Science Department, said the herbs were found to be effective against the Aids virus in test tubes. They were used on 28 Aids patients at San Pa Tong Hospital in Chiang Mai for three months from March this year.

The herbs were safe, and the patients appeared to be in a better condition and showed fewer complications. The treatment had obviously reduced the level of the virus in nine patients and halted its progress in 16 others. Only three failed to respond.

The herbs were good for prolonging life, but would not cure the disease.