African potato hinders AIDS treatment - study

AFRICA: African potato hinders AIDS treatment - study

JOHANNESBURG, 4 Feb 2005 (PLUSNEWS) - Herbal remedies such as the African potato may significantly weaken the power of anti-AIDS drugs, suggests a new study in 'AIDS', a leading medical journal.

A series of tests on the effects of African potato capsules, tablets and teas, found that the effectiveness of AIDS drugs was inhibited to such an extent that "extreme caution" is recommended to HIV positive people.

According to a local newspaper, The Sunday Tribune, researchers said that if tests were not carried out on herbal remedies, there could be "poisonous drug interactions, treatment failure and resistance to antiretrovirals".

The potato is among remedies like garlic, onions, beetroot and virgin olive oil, that South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has repeatedly advocated as immune system boosters for HIV-positive people.

[ENDS]

[Back] [Home Page]

Click here to send any feedback, comments or questions you have about PlusNews Website or if you prefer you can send an Email to Webmaster

Copyright © IRIN 2005
The material contained on www.PlusNews.org comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian news and information service, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.
All PlusNews material may be reposted or reprinted free-of-charge; refer to the IRIN copyright page for conditions of use. IRIN is a project of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.