AGAINST VIRUSES

MERKURID AGAINST VIRUSES

Importance of the problem
1. According to WHO, there are about 2 billion people infected with viral hepatitis worldwide.
2. This is 100 times more than the prevalence of HIV infection.
3. Viral hepatitis kills more people in only one day than AIDS does in a year.
4. It is believed that almost a third of the world"s population is infected with hepatitis B.
5. WHO projects that over next 10 years chronic HCV will become a major problem of national health authorities.

Schemes of treatment
1. Combined therapy (CT) by IFN with ribavirin is currently the world standard in the treatment of HCV-infection.
2. It is known that only 15-20% of patients have a sustained response after initial course of interferon.
3. The effectiveness of modern treatment is 15-20%
4. At the same time scientific literature, according to recent studies, indicated that eradication (removal) of the virus from the body by any known means, in particular by interferon therapy, is seems almost impossible!
There is popular delusion that the hepatitis B virus can be detected only in a blood and liver cells. In fact, replication of the virus is established:

Hepatitis B
Replication is established in hepatocytes, mononuclear blood cells, cells of lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, including hematopoietic precursors. Also virus replication is established in kidneys, pancreas, adrenal glands, intestines, skin. In addition to above bodies, replication is proved in endothelium, macrophages, basal keratinocytes, mucosal epithelium, stromal fibroblasts, nerve cells.

Hepatitis C
Although HCV pathogen is considered to be hepatotropic, possibility of it"s replication in other organs and tissues of the host organism is not excluded. PCR analysis demonstrated the presence of both genomic and replicative forms of RNA in populations of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, monocytes/macrophages and B- (but not T-) lymphocytes regardless of HCV genotype variant and of viral particles titer.

Cost of treatment
Therapy by modern drugs, and the price reaches $24-25 thousand/year (duration is 6-12-18 months or more).

Side effects of antiviral therapy
Inflammation of the lower sections of respiratory tract, shortness of breath, pulmonary infiltrates, pneumonitis and pneumonia, including fatal, skin infection, otitis externa, endocarditis, depression, suicidal tendencies, abnormal liver function, fatty degeneration of the liver, cholangitis, malignant neoplasm of liver, peptic ulcer, gastrointestinal bleeding, chest pain and myocardial infarction, pericarditis, dizziness, autoimmune reactions (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, system lupus erythematosis), myositis, peripheral neuropathy, sarcoidosis, embolism of pulmonary artery, lung cancer, coma and brain hemorrhage, ophthalmologic pathology, including retinal hemorrhage, exudation, thrombosis of retina arteries or veins.

Contraindications for antiviral therapy
The main contraindications for antiviral therapy are severe concomitant diseases (of cardio-vascular system, lungs, kidneys, decompensated diabetes, mental disorders), autoimmune pathologies, decompensated cirrhosis, drug addiction.
Presence of antibodies to thyroid microsomes is a risk factor for subsequent development of thyroid dysfunction.

Properties of merkurid aiming at combating viruses
1. Merkurid-antivirus has impact on immune status of the organism, induces synthesis of alpha-, beta-, gamma- interferons, which assist in elimination of the virus from the body.
2. Merkurid-antivirus normalizes the levels of SD3+(T lymphocytes), CD19+(B-lymphocytes) populations.
3. It activates phagocytosis.
4. It restores levels of IgA, IgM, IgG — humoral factors of immunity.
5. It promotes development of Th1-dependent response, which performs a protective role in viral processes. It activates function of T-helper type I and inhibits function of T-helper type II that lead to increasing synthesis of interferon, I«-2, I«-12, TNF and reducing production of I«-10.
6. It normalizes functions of antigenpresenting CD4+ cells.
7. It increases activity of CD16+ (natural killers) and cytotoxic lymphocytes CD8+, which are responsible for the destruction of cells infected by the virus.
8. It reduces number of ND95+ (apoptosis receptor), CD25+ (receptor for I«-2) and protects lymphocytes and hepatocytes from the process of programmed cell death and allows to keep their number at a physiological level.
Merkurid-antivirus activates regenerative processes in the liver, assist in the replacement of dead hepatocytes by healthy ones. It demonstrates antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing effect, prevents development of dystrophy, cytolysis and cholestasis. It promotes normalization of bilirubin level and activity of transaminases in serum. The drug assists in speeding-up of xenobiotic agents and toxic metabolic products removal from the body by intensifying of liver functions. Merkurid assists in increase of cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes, which allows immune system to effectively destroy cells infected by the virus. Merkurid protects cells from infection by normalizing production of its own interferon.

Information for patients
Scientists have proved the importance of adequate work of immune system in hepatitis. If it is strong, full-scale, it greatly increases the chances of a patient in fighting with the virus. The most effective in treating of hepatitis C is use of interferon drugs, most often referred Pegasys+Ribavirin. The effect of this therapy is 15-20%. It"s too small, given the cost and side effects of this treatment. Our 3-year observations show, that use of interferon reduces the number of lymphocytes and leukocytes, i. e. cells that should ensure own antiviral protection. In addition, these drugs increase the risk of development of autoimmune processes and form chronic inflammatory reactions in various organs. Also threatening complication is the ability of interferon drugs to increase production of too many protein molecules (cytokines) that start attacking and destroying cells of liver and thyroid, mistaking them as foreign invaders.

What to do in this situation?
Studies show, that Merkurid helps to increase the number and activity of immune cells that destroy cells infected with the virus and also assists in normalization of producing protein molecules (cytokines) that, instead of destroying liver and thyroid cells, start to fulfill its purpose — to kill viruses and reduce activity of the inflammatory process.

Consequently, Merkurid:
1. Reduces side effects of interferon therapy.
2. Increases body"s ability to destroy the virus by itself.
3. Reduces number of hepatitis viruses in the blood.
4. Increases efficiency of interferon therapy.
5. «owers risk of developing liver cancer or cirrhosis.