Armenicum is an anti-HIV therapy currently being studied in Armenia and other countries from the former Soviet Union. The product is supposed to have been developed as part of an anti-germ/chemical warfare inoculation for Soviet troops. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Armenian facility that developed the inoculations fell into disuse, and its “products” became the property of the Armenian government. Armenicum was one of these products. At some point, the antiviral properties of Armenicum were “discovered.” However, there is no data available to suggest any in vitro or in vivo anti-HIV activity.

The components of this drug are not revealed to the public for security reasons. It is considered a state secret in Armenia and all related information will remain classified until the world relevent structures register the medicine, but there are things we can feature. Armenicum looks like a deep-brown solution and is given to patients by injection. Such an injection may throw a patient into a fever and may cause a headache. The situation may last for three hours, and afterward the patient’s condition returns to normal.

As the injection is administered, the patient may feel his veins burning, which is adjusted by slowing down the injection. All patients using Armenicum say they can feel great changes after receiving the injections, so that they feel a strong desire to walk, run and simply live on. After several such injections, a patient begins to gain weight, herpes phenomena disappears, sores begin to heal, and the voice and breathing are restored. Most importantly, the drug does not adversely affect the organism (the person’s overall health). A patient takes one or several courses of treatment depending on the stage of development of the disease.

AIDS Center officials in Armenia, assure the public that the treatment with Armenicum is far less expensive as compared to anti-AIDS treatments offered abroad.

Anecdotal information reports that several Americans have taken this therapy including two men from San Francisco. The dosing regimen was similar to that of IL-2. The product was given by infusion for several hours each day for five days. Then after a three-week interruption, the process was repeated three more times. The reported side effects were similar to those reported for IL-2 therapy: fever, chills, aching and fatigue. At latest report, the two San Francisco men have had no positive response to therapy.