Acetylcarnitine: Call for Information

Two issues ago we reviewed an article reporting thatresearchers had found an abnormally low level of acetylcarnitine (also spelled acetyl-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, or L-acetylcarnitine) in persons with HIV who had neuropathy which appeared to have been caused by ddI, d4T, or ddC ("Drug-Related Neuropathy: Low Acetylcarnitine Levels Found, AIDS Treatment News #265, February 21, 1997). We did not know at that time but learned since that acetylcarnitine is available in the U.S. through health-food distributors. We have no information about these products.

Acetylcarnitine is being tested in the U.S. and elsewhere as a possible treatment for diabetic neuropathy, and for other conditions. Bristol-Myers Squibb is interested in working with a clinical research group to develop the first HIV-related clinical trial.

AIDS TREATMENT NEWS would like to hear from anyone with information about use of acetylcarnitine by persons with HIV,for any purpose. Contact John S. James, jjames@aidsnews.org[</a>, or by fax at 415/255-4659, or c/o AIDS TREATMENT NEWS, P.O. Box 411256, San Francisco, CA 94141.