Research News – thymus extracts for herpes treatment

 

On March 30th, 2020, Scientists from Medical University of Lublin have published the newest results of research on the efficacy of TFX (Thymostimulin) as treatment for infections caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Recurring infections caused by the herpes virus are caused by immune exhaustion, which impairs immune response and therefore hinders the organism’s ability to eliminate the pathogen. Individuals whose immune system functions properly (highly immunocompetent patients) can fight the virus without resorting to using antiviral medication, however those of us who have weakened immunity may experience difficulties.

Thymostimulin is the active substance in TFX, preparation used in patients with immune function disorders. Research published in the recent days by researchers from Lublin have shown, that thymus peptides aid in alleviating immune exhaustion by strengthening organism’s immune function.

Increased activation of the cells of the immune system (T-lymphocytes), which play a major role in the immune response, can lead to their functional exhaustion. It is possible to screen the patient for immune exhaustion, due to the fact that weakened T-lymphocytes send special signals – produce molecules which are they then present on their surface.

It has been shown, that in people infected by herpes simplex virus, the count of such distressed T-lymphocytes was much higher compared to healthy individuals. Two months of thymostimulin therapy was enough to bring that count to pre-infection levels, similar to levels found in healthy people.

The researchers investigated the impact of a therapy with the use of thymus peptides on excretion of cytokines – molecules directly responsible for fighting the virus: interleukin 2 and interferon type II. Scientists have turned their focus to that, because it has been observed that addition of cytokines to neuron cell cultures, which are infected by the virus, results in its suppression. The approach yielded positive results – administration of thymostimulin resulted in the organism producing those crucial molecules, responsible for fighting the virus.

Most importantly however, it has been found that not a single recurrence was observed during a period of two months in all patients who have had been administered thymostimulin. That is another example of efficacy of thymotherapy in providing complex support for our immune system.

You can find the published research paper here.

 

15th April, 2020