Mechanism of oxymatrine in preventing hepatic fibrosis formation in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the mechanism of oxymatrine in preventing hepatic fibrosis formation in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 80 CHB patients receiving routine therapies for liver protection and support were divided into two groups. Oxymatrine at the daily dose of 150 mg was injected intravenously in the therapeutic group (n=40), and gluthion (1.2 g daily) was injected in the control group (n=40) for 8 weeks. The liver functions, indexes of hepatic fibrosis and the levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured in these patients before and after the therapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Liver functions was obviously improved after therapy in both groups, showing no significant difference between them (P>0.05). The indexes of hepatic fibrosis such as HA, LN, PCIII and C-IV were significantly lower in the therapeutic group than in the control group (P<0.01). The serum levels of TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha decreased while IL-10 increased significantly after the treatment in the therapeutic group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The effect of oxymatrine against hepatic fibrosis is mediated by lowering the levels of TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha and increasing the level of IL-10 in CHB patients.</p>

Effects of Danqi Huogan Capsule in protecting the liver, promoting circulation and removing clots in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the effect of Danqi Huogan Capsule in protecting the liver, promoting the circulation and removing blood clots in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 104 CHB patients were randomized into two groups. Routine therapies for liver protection were given in the control group (n=50), and Danqi Huogan Capsule was administered in the therapeutic group (n=54) in addition to the routine therapies. The changes in the clinical symptoms, physical signs, liver functions, and hemorrheology were observed after the 3-month therapies.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Danqi Huogan Capsule treatment obvious improved the clinical symptoms, physical signs and liver functions of the patients (P<0.01), and significantly decreased the hematocrit, low-shear blood viscosity, plasma viscosity and index of red blood cell aggregation (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Danqi Huogan Capsule is effective in protecting the liver, improving hemorrheology, promoting the blood circulation and removing clots in patients with chronic hepatitis B.</p>