the portion of mammalian liver extract that has been discovered to be effective in treating hiv - 1 infection is the fraction which is heat stable , insoluble in acetone , and soluble in water . as disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 284 , 664 , 5 , 316 , 775 , and 5 , 334 , 395 , it is believed that these polysaccharides are present in kutapressin in the form of proteoglycans or glycoproteins . a transdermal delivery system has been discovered to be a particularly effective method of delivering a mammalian liver extract , such as kutapressin , when further concentrated according to the present invention . such a transdermal delivery system allows the concentrated liver extract to be absorbed into the blood in concentrations apparently adequate for the treatment of hiv - 1 infection . the transdermal colloidal dispersion employed in the present invention is one of the preferred methods for administering the liver extract . a soy lecithin gel is prepared from 10 grams of soy lecithin , to which 11 . 7 ml of isopropyl palmitate and 0 . 2 g of sorbic acid are added . the gel is then allowed to meld for 24 hours . a 20 % poly ( oxypropylene )- poly ( oxyethylene ) copolymer gel , such as pluronic 127 ( basf ), is prepared by adding 0 . 2 g of potassium sorbate and 100 ml of distilled water to 20 g of pluronic 127 . this gel is also allowed to meld for 24 hours . dessicated liver extract is used to prepare the gel formulation . one way in which this may be accomplished is described below by dessicating 3 vials ( 60 ml ) of commercially available kutapressin . a nalgene dessicating system is set up using calcium sulfate as the dessicating absorbant . two evaporating dishes containing the kutapressin are placed in the apparatus and a vacuum is applied via a pump for 7 minutes . the dessicating absorbant must be changed every 24 hours , and the vacuum pressure must be reapplied after each change of absorbant to restore the vacuum . after 72 hours , the liquid will be absorbed , leaving only active ingredient . six ml of preserved water and 4 drops of phenol are added to the kutapressin , and it is allowed to solubilize . this is the resolubilized liver extract preparation . the liquid is placed in a 30 ml syringe attached to another 30 ml syringe by a luer lock adapter . seven ml of soy lecithin gel is added to the solubilized kutapressin in the syringe . the liquids are transferred between the two syringes until an emulsion forms . with the syringes still attached and the emulsified liquid in one syringe , 17 ml of 20 % pluronic 127 is added to the empty syringe . the pluronic 127 is then transferred to the kutapressin emulsion . this results in a colloidal dispersion . the colloidal dispersion is then transferred between the syringes about 20 times to further emulsify the mixture . this final colloidal dispersion volume is about 30 ml , and it contains kutapressin at a concentration of about 50 mg / ml . it is also anticipated that a transdermal delivery system comprised of lecithin and other penetration enhancers ; vehicles other than lecithin which alter the molecular environment of the epidermis ; an adhesive patch containing a drug reservoir , with or without a rate controlling membrane , covered by an occlusive backing ; iontophoresis ; and phonophoresis may be used to deliver the liver extracts of the present invention . an acetone - insoluble liver extract useful in the present invention preferably is administered percutaneously , for example , using a transdermal colloidal dispersion delivery system in the form of a patch applied to the skin , or by applying the colloidal dispersion directly to the skin . however , other forms of administration are contemplated . the liver extract may be employed in the form of pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the components , such as alkali metal salts . the pharmaceutically acceptable amides , lower alkyl esters , protected derivatives , other derivatives and analogs of the components of the liver extract are also contemplated . while a transdermal colloidal dispersion formulation is preferred , other pharmaceutical carriers , for example , a saline solution , could be employed . the liver extract preferably is administered percutaneously while contained in a colloidal dispersion . a preferred product is a colloidal dispersion comprised of any of a variety of transdermal delivery vehicles and penetration enhancers containing kutapressin which has been concentrated to a level of about 50 mg / ml . iontophoretic and phonophoretic methods of introducing kutapressin transdermally are also contemplated . dosages may vary depending upon the condition of the patient . generally , however , it has been found that the administration of 400 mg of kutapressin per day will produce beneficial results in as little as about 4 weeks . a patient infected with hiv - 1 received 400 mg of kutapressin percutaneously daily . administration of the percutaneous colloidal dispersion composition was begun after quantitative hiv rna pcr analysis was used to determine the number of hiv rna copies per ml of the patient &# 39 ; s blood . the initial level of hiv rna was documented as 18 , 000 copies / ml . after receiving 400 mg of kutapressin daily for 4 weeks , quantitative hiv rna pcr analysis revealed that the patient &# 39 ; s hiv rna level dropped to 6 , 400 copies / ml . the dosage of kutapressin was then lowered to 200 mg per day percutaneously . the patient &# 39 ; s blood was tested to determine the hiv rna level after approximately 10 weeks of treatment at this dosing level . the level of hiv rna present was documented as 14 , 400 copies / ml . although the invention has been described previously in connection with special and preferred embodiments , it will be understood that it is capable of modification without departing from the scope of the invention . the following claims are intended to cover all variations , uses , or adaptations of the invention which follow , in general , the principles thereof and including any departures from the present disclosure that are within known or customary practices in the field to which this invention pertains , or as are obvious to persons of ordinary skill in the field .
a method for treating human immuno - deficiency virus infection , comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a mammalian liver extract characterized by being heat stable , insoluble in acetone , and soluble in water . a transdermal colloidal dispersion delivery system for use in the treatment of hiv - 1 infection further comprises an emulsion of resolubilized , concentrated mammalian liver extract .