Also indexed as: Apo-Zidovudine®, Azidothymidine,
Novo-AZT®, Retrovir®, ZDV, Zidovudine
AZT inhibits reproduction of retroviruses, including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is considered the cause of acquired
immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). AZT is one of a number of drugs used to treat HIV infection
and AIDS.
Summary of
Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
In some cases, a herb or supplement may appear in more than one category, which may seem
contradictory. For clarification, read the full article for details about the summarized
interactions.
 May be Beneficial: Depletion or
interference—The medication may deplete or interfere with the absorption or
function of the nutrient. Taking these nutrients may help replenish them. |
Carnitine*
Copper
Vitamin B12
|
| May be Beneficial: Side effect
reduction/prevention—Taking these supplements may help reduce the likelihood and/or
severity of a potential side effect caused by the medication. |
Riboflavin
|
| May be Beneficial: Supportive
interaction—Taking these supplements may support or otherwise help your medication
work better. |
Thymopentin
Zinc
|
Check: Other—Before taking any of these supplements or eating any of
these foods with your medication, read this article in full for details. |
N-Acetyl Cysteine
Vitamin E
|
| Reduced drug
absorption/bioavailability |
None known
|
| Adverse interaction |
None known
|
An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the
interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific
evidence.
Interactions with Dietary Supplements
General nutrition
Preliminary human research suggests AZT therapy may cause a reduction in copper and zinc blood levels. Animal studies suggest that vitamin E may improve the efficacy of
AZT.1 The practical importance of these findings remains unclear.
Carnitine
Preliminary information suggests that muscle damage sometimes caused by AZT is at least
partially due to depletion of carnitine in the muscles by the drug.2 It has been
reported that most patients taking AZT have depleted carnitine levels that can be restored
with carnitine supplementation (6 grams per day).3
N-acetyl
cysteine
Animal research suggests that zinc and N-acetyl cysteine supplementation may protect against
AZT toxicity.4 It is not known whether oral supplementation with these nutrients
would have similar effects in people taking AZT.
Vitamin
B12
Vitamin B12 deficiency in HIV infected persons may be more common in those taking
AZT.5 HIV infected people with low vitamin B12 levels were shown in one study to be
more likely to develop blood-related side effects (particularly anaemia) from taking
AZT.6
Riboflavin
Persons with AIDS have developed lactic acidosis and fatty liver while taking AZT and other
drugs in its class. AZT can inhibit crucial DNA-related riboflavin activity, which may be
normalized by riboflavin supplementation. A 46-year-old woman with AIDS and lactic acidosis
received a single dose of 50 mg of riboflavin, after which her laboratory tests returned to
normal and her lactic acidosis was completely resolved.7 More research is needed to
confirm the value of riboflavin for preventing and treating this side effect.
Thymopentin
Thymopentin is a small protein that comes from a natural hormone in the body known as
thymopoietin. This hormone stimulates production of the white blood cells known as T
lymphocytes. Combination of thymopentin with AZT tended to decrease the rate at which
HIV-infected persons progressed to AIDS.8 Thymopentin alone did not seem to have a
benefit in this study. Since thymopentin is administered by injections into the skin, people
should consult with a doctor as to the availability of this substance.
Zinc
A study found that adding 200 mg zinc per day to AZT treatment decreased the number of
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and Candida infections in people with AIDS
compared with people treated with AZT alone.9 The zinc also improved weight and CD4
cell levels. The amount of zinc used in this study was very high and should be combined with
1–2 mg of copper to reduce the risk of immune problems from the zinc long term.
References
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1. Gogu SR, Beckman BS, Rangan SR, et al. Increased therapeutic efficacy
of zidovudine in combination with vitamin E. Biochem Biophys Res Commun
1989;165:401–7.
2. Dalakas MC, Leon-Monzon ME, Bernardini I, et al. Zidovudine-induced
mitochondrial myopathy is associated with muscle carnitine deficiency and lipid storage.
Ann Neurol 1994;35:482–7.
3. De Simone C, Famularo G, Tzantzoglou S, et al. Carnitine depletion in
peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with AIDS: effect of oral L-carnitine.
AIDS 1994;8:655–60.
4. Gogu SR, Agrawal KC. The protective role of zinc and N-acetyl cysteine
in modulating zidovudine-induced hematopoietic toxicity. Life Sci 1996;59:1323–9.
5. Paltiel O, Falutz J, Veilleux M, et al. Clinical correlates of
subnormal vitamin B12 levels in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
Am J Hematol 1995;49:318–22.
6. Richman DD, Fischl MA, Griego MH, et al. The toxicity of
azidothymidine (AZT) in the treatment of patients with AIDS and AIDS-related complex. New
Engl J Med 1987;317:192–7.
7. Fouty B, Frerman F, Reves R. Riboflavin to treat nucleoside
analogue-induced lactic acidosis. Lancet 1998;352:291–2 [letter].
8. Goldstein G, Conant MA, Beall G, et al. Safety and efficacy of
thymopentin in zidovudine (AZT)-treated asymptomatic HIV-infected subjects with 200–500
CD4 cells/mm3: A double-blind placebo-controlled trial. J Acq Imm Def Syn Human
Retrovirol 1995;8:279–88.
9. Mocchegiani E, Veccia S, Ancarani F, et al. Benefit of oral zinc
supplementation as an adjunct to zidovudine (AZT) therapy against opportunistic infections in
AIDS. Int J Immunopharmacol 1995;17:719–27.
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with Vitamins and Herbs
The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes
only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical
experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not
necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with
prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor,
practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before
making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires March 2007.
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