Arginine thiazolidinecarboxylate in the treatment of chronic active hepatitis: double-blind comparison with placebo.

Forty-four patients with chronic active hepatitis were given arginine thiazolidinecarboxylate (800 mg/day per os for 40 days) or placebo in a randomized, double-blind trial. The most important liver function parameters were measured in each patient at the beginning of the trial, after 20 days, and at the end of the trial. The active drug lessened the parameters of necrosis and cholestasis while protein synthesis improved in liver cells. The differences between ATCA and placebo groups were highly significant. No treatment-related side-effects were reported.