Glycyrrhizin withdrawal followed by human lymphoblastoid interferon in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.
Seventeen patients with chronic hepatitis B were treated with a 4-week administration of glycyrrhizin followed by a 4-week treatment with human lymphoblastoid interferon, then followed for 6 months after the end of treatment. All were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and hepatitis B virus-associated DNA polymerase (DNA-p) for at least 6 months before entry. All patients were Japanese and none of them were homosexuals. Eleven patients lost DNA-p activity and 10 of them lost HBeAg. Three of these 10 patients had antibody to HBeAg. In 10 patients who became HBeAg-negative, alanine aminotransferase levels after glycyrrhizin administration were higher and initial DNA-p activities relatively lower than the levels found in seven patients who remained HBeAg-positive. The immunomodulator provided by a short course of glycyrrhizin before administration of human lymphoblastoid interferon may be an effective treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis B.
Hayashi
J
J
Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
Kajiyama
W
W
Noguchi
A
A
Nakashima
K
K
Hirata
M
M
Hayashi
S
S
Kashiwagi
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000628:therapy*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid