title: Hepatoprotective and immunological effects of antioxidant drugs.
abstract: The hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects of silymarin and amino-imidazole-carboxamide-phosphate were studied in 40 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver in a one-month double-blind clinical trial. Treatment with either of the drugs normalized the elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and serum bilirubin, markedly reduced the high level of gamma-glutamyl transferase, increased lectin-induced lymphoblast transformation, decreased the percentage of OKT8+ cells and suppressed lymphocytotoxicity. None of these changes occurred in the placebo-treated group. Thus, the hepatoprotective effects of silymarin and amino-imidazole-carboxamide-phosphate in alcoholic cirrhosis can partly be attributed to the immunomodulatory activity of the drugs.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Láng
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nékám
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González-Cabello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mũzes
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gergely
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fehér
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000620:Aminoimidazole Carboxamide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012838:Silymarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D012838:Silymarin; D000620:Aminoimidazole Carboxamide; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin