Cancer is one of the most threatening diseases of the present age. Several studies and research are under way to find a remedy to combat different types of cancer and to prevent them. One of recent successful results is the development of Isoprinosine, that helps the cells to recover their immunity.

CLINICAL STUDIES

Large numbers of studies have been drafted showing the impact of Isoprinosine on progression of AIDS in HIV affected patients. It lowers down the development of AIDS by increasing the total number of natural killer cells, T-cells and T-Helper cells. One of the studies indicates that patients suffering from HIV having CD4 cell count more than 500 showed considerable improvement using Isoprinosine. Hampering of T-lymphocyte is common in AIDS and cancer patients which on taking this drug promotes T-cell development. In a similar study the effect of Isoprinosine on immune system was studied on children having cellular immmuno deficiency. The group of 30 subjects having age between 3 and 15 were given 50mg /kg b.w/day for 3 months. After three months researchers found that number of CD3T lymphocytes and CD4t lymphocytes increases considerably.

Sub acute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a prolonged inflammation of the brain which occurs after measles virus infection wherein the existence of this inflammation depends upon the dosage of measles vaccination. It is mainly believed to effect the neuron activity of the brain and there by survive in hidden form for prolong years. Isoprinosine was tested for the treatment of sub acute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in the group of 36 boys and 18 girls. Among the subjects, 30 children were given the dosage of Isoprinosine and the period of survival was examined. Three years of long survival was proved to be more frequent in the children on Isoprinosine treatment as compared to the group of subjects who were not given the drug. Children with abnormal or excessive neuronal activity in the brain and having sub acute course of illness showed best results.

Researchers used ten healthy adult subjects to calculate the serum (component of blood) levels of certain small proteins secreted by cells of immune system (called as cytokines) after and during the Isoprinosine treatment. The individuals were fed 1g of the drug 3 times a day for 5 consecutive days weekly. The process was carried out for 3 weeks. Researchers measured serum levels of Interfereon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-10 using ELISA kits on 7th, 10th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th and 42nd day. It was observed that the serum levels among all the cytokines was increase between 7th and 10th day. IL-2 increases up to a considerable level on 42nd day. Similar rise was seen in IL-10 between 7th and 28th day. TNF-alpha does not show much raise after a slight increase at 10th day. Researchers come to a conclusion with an analysis that a negative correlation exists between IFN-gamma and IL2, IL-10 and TNF-alpha.

In another similar clinical study 337 patients suffering from melanoma measuring less than 2.1 mm thickness were make to undergo depreciation either with 5-cm margin or 2-cm margin. Out of the total subjects, individuals above 70 years of age were excluded and the analysis was carried out on the remaining 326 patients. The subjects were given the dose of Isoprinosine for a prolong period of 16 years and were continuously monitored in the context of survival and re occurrence of the disease. Researchers observed the recurrence of 22 tumours in 2 cm arm within 43 months and 5 cm arm in 37.6 months. Group of subjects having 2-cm margin showed survival rate of 85% where as those having 5-cm margin showed 83% rate within a period of disease free 10 years. The authors concluded that melanoma with margin of 2 cm is sufficient for local depreciation as 5-cm margin does not show any effect of disease recurrence or survival.