The efficacy of a herbal medicine (Mao-to) in combination with intravenous natural interferon-beta for patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1b and high viral load: a pilot study.

Abstract

Patients with chronic hepatitis C, with a high serum viral load (> or = 1 Meq/ml) and genotype 1b seem to be resistant to interferon (IFN) therapy. To evaluate the efficacy of a herbal medicine (Mao-to) in combination with natural IFN-beta for the treatment of these patients, eighteen Japanese patients were enrolled in this study. Every patient received 6 million units (MU) of IFN-beta intravenously daily for 8 weeks. Mao-to was given orally 3-4 times a day during the IFN-beta administration, Sixteen of the 18 patients (89%) became negative for serum HCV RNA at the end of treatment, but only 2 of them (11%) remained negative for the virus RNA at 6 months of follow-up. Serum ALT levels normalized in 17 patients (94%) at 2 weeks of follow-up after the cessation of therapy, and 11 patients (61%) retained normal ALT levels for more than 6 months of follow-up. This rate of biochemical response was high as compared with that of therapy with IFN-beta alone (19%) in the largest IFN-beta trial in Japan. Serum hyaluronic acid levels were decreased significantly from 147.0 +/- 110.5 ng/ml to 77.4 +/- 67.4 ng/ml in the sustained biochemical response group (P = 0.003). None of the patients needed to interrupt therapy because of side effects of IFN-beta. Thus, Mao-to administration together with IFN-beta treatment could increase the sustained biochemical response rate, and reduce liver fibrosis.

• Authors: M Kainuma, N Ogata, T Kogure, K Kohta, N Hattori, T Mitsuma, K Terasawa
• Journal: Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (Phytomedicine) Vol. 9 Issue 5 Pg. 365-72 (Jul 2002) ISSN: 0944-7113 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 12222653 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• RNA, Viral
• Interferon-beta
• Hyaluronic Acid

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
• Female
• Genotype
• Hepacivirus (genetics, isolation & purification)
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (drug therapy)
• Herbal Medicine
• Humans
• Hyaluronic Acid (blood)
• Interferon-beta (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• RNA, Viral (blood)
• Viral Load