An FDA‑approved medication called spironolactone, often prescribed for heart and blood pressure conditions, may be a useful add‑on to the standard HIV treatment, according to new research from the Valente lab at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology.
Viruses spread by hijacking cells and using their gene transcription machinery to make new copies. Today’s HIV medicines keep the virus under control but are not a cure. If treatment stops, HIV can return from hidden reservoirs, so more durable, long-lasting approaches are needed. In the new study, researchers treated HIV-infected mice with human immune cells with first‑line antiretroviral therapy plus a long‑acting form of spironolactone. Spironolactone is a widely used diuretic, or water pill.
Read more about Common Water Pill May Help HIV Medicines Work Faster and Reduce Inflammation, Early Study Suggests.
