Profile of crofelemer for the symptomatic treatment of diarrhea in HIV-infected persons

Abstract:

Diarrhea due to noninfectious causes is a major problem in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons, and is frequently related to antiretroviral therapy and HIV-associated enteropathy. Crofelemer is a first-in-class antidiarrheal agent that is United States Food and Drug Administration approved for noninfectious diarrhea in persons with HIV on antiretroviral therapy. Crofelemer is derived from the blood-red sap of Croton lechleri, a South American plant whose latex is associated with various healing attributes. In fact, it has a unique effect on chloride channels in the gastrointestinal lumen, and leads to decreased efflux of sodium molecules and water, thereby decreasing the frequency of stools. Crofelemer – a plant-based compound, discovered and investigated as the result of the increased prevalence of ethnobotany – is a novel and effective agent with a good safety profile. It could potentially improve the quality of life for HIV-infected patients and hopefully, in turn, will improve antiretroviral therapy compliance.

Keywords:

• : chloride channels
• secretory diarrhea
• botanical
• sangre de grado
• intra-luminal

Disclosure

Dr MacArthur is a paid-consultant to, and has received honoraria from, Salix Pharmaceuticals. In addition, he has received research grants from Salix Pharmaceuticals administered through Wayne State University. The other authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.