Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

• Aerosolized pentamidine for prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).
• Acetaminophen.
• Ketoconazole.

Consistently positive serum HIV p24 antigen = or > 70 picograms/ml, defined by the Abbott HIV antigen test, on two occasions, each within 1 month prior to entry, separated by at least 72 hours, the last of which must be within 2 weeks of starting therapy. Positive antibody to HIV with a federally licensed ELISA test kit.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients with any negative HIV p24 antigen test within 1 month of entry are excluded. Hemophiliacs are excluded.

Prior Medication:

Excluded within 4 weeks of study entry:

• Biologic response modifiers.
• Zidovudine (AZT) or other antiretroviral agents.
• Other investigational drugs.
• Excluded within 12 weeks of study entry:
• Ribavirin.
• Excluded:
• Ongoing therapy and/or prophylaxis for an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection.
• Anticoagulant drugs.
• Systemic corticosteroids.
• Aspirin.
• Dextran sulfate.
• Sedatives.
• Barbiturates.

Prior Treatment:

Excluded within 2 weeks of study entry:

• Transfusion.

Severe diarrhea:

• = or > 5 loose or watery stools per day. Significant malabsorption:
• > 10 percent weight loss within past 3 months with serum carotene < 75 IU/ml or vitamin A < 75 IU/ml. Transfusion dependent:
• Requiring 2 units of blood > once a month. Active opportunistic infection. Symptomatic visceral Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), progression of KS within 1 month of entry, or concurrent neoplasms other than KS. Basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ carcinoma of the cervix. Hemorrhagic diseases such as hemophilia A or B or von Willebrand disease.

Active drug or alcohol abuse sufficient in the investigator's opinion to prevent adequate compliance with study therapy.