Notice (November 13, 2009): The information in this post is obsolete. I do not recommend substituting inosine for Immunovir. Those that wish to try inosine for other reasons should note that Immunovir is only about 25% inosine, so do not use the dosing information below. More information can be found in my post, "Immunovir versus Inosine Revisited".
Immunovir (also known as Imunovir, Isoprinosine and Inosine Pranobex) has shown some usefulness in ME/CFS, especially virally induced cases. Drs. Peterson and Cheney have used it although I'm not sure if they're using it now. It's available by prescription in some countries, but is not available in the US, and I've heard it is quite expensive.
However, plain inosine is available pretty cheaply. So I wondered, can inosine be used as a substitute for Imunovir? I've heard several people saying it could. Since I didn't just want to take their word for it, I decided to look into it further.
First let me point out what Dr. Cheney has said about Imunovir:
"There's a drug that raises uric acid called Isoprinosine or Imunovir. It's a very good immune-modulator; whose only potential side effect is an increase is uric acid levels. But that's not a problem for CFIDS patients..."
"Uric acid is a powerful scavenger of peroxynitrite. Uric acid levels in CFIDS patients are among the lowest I've ever measured, in all of medicine."
Notice the Wikipedia entry for inosine says:
"[Inosine] produces uric acid after ingestion, which is a natural antioxidant and a peroxynitrite scavenger, which can suggest possible benefit in multiple sclerosis."
"Knowledge of inosine metabolism has led to advances in immunotherapy in recent decades..."
"In the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System, it is classified as an antiviral.""
In addition, Dr. Kenny De Meirleir has said the following in regards to Imunovir and inosine:
"When asked about the immune modulating medication Isoprinosine (which boosts natural killer cells), he mentioned that the basic amino acid version of inosine is as effective."
Also interesting is that both the drug Imunovir and the supplement inosine come in 500mg tablets.
So apparently they really can be substituted for another. I've ordered some inosine myself and will start taking it next Monday. I'm going to use Dr. Cheney's pulsing dosage for Imunovir:
Month 1:
Week One, take 6 tablets a day, Monday through Friday, and none on the weekend.
Week Two, take 2 tablets a day, Monday through Friday, and none on the weekend.
Week Three, repeat Week One.
Week Four, repeat Week two.
Month 2: Repeat Month 1.
Month 3: Take the month off - do not take any isoprinosine during the third month.
Month 4: Repeat Month 1.
Month 5: Repeat Month 1.
Month 6: Take the month off.
(Update): Another study is using 6 tablets a day divided into three doses odd weeks and 3 tablets a day (one tablet 3x/day) even weeks, with none on the weekend. I'm still going to follow Cheney's protocol for the most part, though I am not sure about the dosage frequency--whether to divide the doses into twice or three times per day.
(Update 2): Apparently Dr. Cheney is now using inosine in place of Immunovir as well. More information to come.
Thank you for this blog. I appreciate the information you are putting out there - the number of CFS supplements is mind-numbing and its beyond difficult to make sense of all of it. Just had a question for you about taking ImmunPro.. how do you do it? Its disgusting! I could not figure out how to get it down.. its alot of volume too. Any ideas? I thought I would do anything to get better. But I tried once a year ago and gave up. Now your blog has inspired me to try again.
ReplyDeleteFor ImmunoPro, I put some in my mouth with a bit of water and chew and swish it around until it dissolves. I do not mind the taste this way. Counterintuitively, it actually tasted much worse the time I tried taking it the regular way by mixing it in a glass of water.
ReplyDeleteHow is it going for you two using the Inosine? I just got a perscription for Immunovir from my doctor, and would love to hear if you think the alternative is working. I'm assuming that you're doing this for HHV6 or lyme?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Great site! I am using Inosine, at the advice of my UM Immunologist. If Dr.s Klimas and Rey recommend it, it has to work! Dr Rey told me it was just as good as Immunovir, just less expensive. Swansons.com has the best price-it's about 10.50 for 60ct. I can only take 3 pd as of yet, as I am dealing with 6 viruses and Mycoplasma. It is making me miserable, but I hope the die-off reaction will improve over time- Anyone else having bad side effects?
ReplyDeleteHi Aly,
ReplyDeleteWondering how you're feeling.
I too have been seeing Dr. Klimas, and she just prescribed Imunovir to me, not Inosine. Not sure why she picks one over the other one. I haven't started it yet; I'm a big chicken I guess. I have 4 active viruses as well as mycoplasma too. Seems like we have a lot in common. I just moved to Jupiter,FL and see that your'e in palm beach.
I see Dr Rey in Dr Kimas's clinic. Since I'm so med sensitive she suggested I try inosine first to see how I handled it. Just 1 pill first try was like a sleeping pill for me. I couldn't stay awake. One pill isn't enough for kill-off. I cut to a half and tried that half each day for a week. I got weaker and weaker, dizzy, and my tinnitus, which had been low enough to ignore started screaming. Finally I just stopped it until I could see how I felt and then talk to her. I've been off three days and am still weaker than I've been in years. I've made no other changes. I'm in the West Palm Beach area.
ReplyDeleteMan, there seems to be a correlation of CFS and the area of West Palm Beach. I too developed this in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.
ReplyDelete