Tuesday Aug 19, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Mucocutaneous human papillomavirus and herpes infections are very common.   They can spread from person to person through sexual contact and non-sexual contact.  A report recently published in Nutrition suggests that some vitamins may be used to boost the host's antiviral defense against the viral recurrent dermatologic infections.  And effective vitamins or supplements are desirable because other progressive treatments may aggravate skin inflammation.

In the report, researchers at Dermatology Research Institute (IDI IRCCS) in Rome, Italy reveal the results from two trials that indicate a nutraceutical consisting of coenzyme Q(10), RRR-α-tocopherol, selenium aspartate, and L-methionine improved the outcomes of conventional treatments.

In one trial, 68 patients with relapsing human papillomavirus skin warts were treated with cryotherapy and then nutraceutical or placebo supplementation for 180 days. In another trial, treatment with acyclovir plus 90 days of nutraceutical supplementation was compared with acyclovir alone in patients with recurrent herpes simplex genitalis or herpes zoster.

In both trials, the nutraceutical supplementation promoted faster healing and reduced incidence of relapses.   They nutraceutical decreased viral  load and increased antiviral cytokine and serum peroxynitrite levels.  (David Liu, PHD)

De Luca C, Kharaeva Z, Raskovic D, Pastore P, Luci A, Korkina L.  Coenzyme Q(10), vitamin E, selenium, and methionine in the treatment of chronic recurrent viral mucocutaneous infections. Nutrition. 2012 May;28(5):509-14.