Civamide (cis-capsaicin) for treatment of primary or recurrent experimental genital herpes

Neuropharmacologic agents able to disrupt normal virus-neuron interactions may provide an alternative strategy for the treatment of herpes simplex vir us (HSV) infections. We have previously shown that prophylactic treatment w ith capsaicin, a natural compound that alters function in sensory neurons, can protect guinea pigs against cutaneous HSV disease, even though the comp ound has no direct antiviral activity. Here we have examined the ability of civamide, the cis isomer of capsaicin, to interfere with HSV disease. We s how that, even when the onset of treatment was delayed until after intravag inal virus challenge, primary genital skin disease severity was significant ly reduced. In addition, animals treated during primary infection subsequen tly experienced a long-lasting reduction in recurrent disease. Civamide tre atment during latent infection also significantly reduced recurrent disease , although for a shorter period. Further a single weekly treatment with civ amide during latent infection was sufficient to reduce recurrent disease, i ndicating that an infrequent suppressive maintenance therapy might be possi ble.