Impact of Adjunct Immunotherapy with Multi-herbal Supplement Dzherelo (Immunoxel) on Treatment Outcomes in End-stage TB/HIV Patients

Abstract

Prognosis for TB/HIV co-infection is very unfavourable. In terminally-ill patients treatment options are often limited to palliative care. In our salvage, 2-month therapy of 40 late-stage TB/HIV patients we administered to half of the patients TB drugs along with over-the-counter botanical immunomodulator Dzherelo (Immunoxel). Despite best possible care 6 patients had died. Remaining 14 patients experienced marked clinical improvements and one patient was discharged due to full recovery. Among 20 matched subjects on conventional TB regimen, 12 died and only one was slightly better-off. These results indicate that Dzherelo might reduce mortality (P=0.055) and improve significantly the quality of life (P=0.00002). Improvement in quality of life is also supported by substantial weight gain (mean/median 3.3/4 kg) in much higher proportion of patients than among those who received TB drugs only, i.e., 16 vs. 1 (P=0.000001). At the end of two months 13 (65%) patients became sputum smear negative versus only one individual (5%) in ATT group (P=0.00007). These results suggest that adjuvant immu-notherapy improves significantly therapy outcome and reduces mortality. Larger study is warranted to confirm the benefit of Dzherelo.