optimal dose of ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C: from literature evidence to clinical practice

Approximately 170 million people worldwide are chronically infected by hepatitis C virus [HCV], which can result in progressive hepatic injury and fibrosis, culminating in cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. The benchmark therapy for untreated HCV patients is a combination of pegylated interferon-alpha [PEG-IFN] and ribavirin [REV]. several studies have suggested several potential new approaches to improve HCV therapy-optimization of the dose and duration of RBV therapy, accompanied by careful clinical management, is crucial in ensuring the greatest likelihood of a long response to therapy. RBV causes serious side effects, but in clinical practice, there are no alternatives for the treatment of HCV infection. Based on our results, weight-based doses of RVB are advantageous for genotype 1-infected patients, but its success in genotype 2- and 3-infected patients is unknown, particularly for shorter treatment duration

Milk thistle for treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] is one the most common causes of chronic liver disorders in the Western world. These patients have many significant comorbidities. The therapeutic approach to NAFLD is based on lifestyle intervention, but there is no consensus on the ideal pharmacological treatment. Silybum marianum, commonly known as milk thistle [MT], is one of the oldest and most extensively researched plants in the treatment of liver diseases. Many studies have demonstrated that the active components of MT silymarin have many hepatoprotective properties. In recent years, several preclinical and clinical reports have described the efficacy of silymarin as a treatment for NAFLD. The chief aim of this review is to discuss the newest and most promising applications of MT in the treatment of NAFLD