title: [Symptomatic effect of epomediol in patients with cholestasis of pregnancy].
abstract: Epomediol is a terpenoid that prevents and reverses cholestasis induced by ethinylestradiol in the rat, apparently by improving liver cell membrane fluidity. Assuming that the pathogenesis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is related with increased estrogen levels, we studied the effects of epomediol in this disease. Patients hospitalized due to ICP received epomediol 900 mg/day (n = 7), or 1,200 mg/day (n = 4) orally, during 15 days. Biochemical parameters of liver dysfunction (serum bilirubin, bile salts, aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatases) were not modified during nor after epomediol administration. The severity of pruritus was significantly reduced in comparison to pretreatment status, with both doses of epomediol. A greater amelioration of pruritus was observed in patients treated with epomediol 1,200 mg/day than in patients who received 900 mg/day (to 20.7 +/- 6.2, as percent of pre-treatment severity score, versus 48.8 +/- 7.5 respectively; p < 0.05). After epomediol administration was stopped, pruritus relapsed in 6 patients; 3 of them had received the higher drug dose. After delivery, pruritus vanished and liver function tests returned to normal, in all patients. No adverse effects attributable to the drug were observed in the mothers or in their babies. The beneficial effect of epomediol on pruritus in patients with ICP appeared greater in this study than that observed recently in similar patients who received a placebo.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile (División Oriente), Hospital del Salvador, Santiago.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tiribelli
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ribalta
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andrighetti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Molina
mesh_terms: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000097:blood; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006932:Hyperbilirubinemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013729:Terpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D013729:Terpenes; C031365:epomediol
vernacular_title: Efecto sintomático del epomediol en pacientes con colestasis gravídica.