Tomato-based functional food as interferon adjuvant in HCV eradication therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The authors conducted a study to verify whether supplementation with an antioxidant-rich tomato-based functional food reduces anemia during pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C.


BACKGROUND
Oxidative stress plays a major role in the physiopathology of hemolytic anemia during ribavirin therapy. The efficacy of antioxidant supplementation with vitamins C and E as pure compounds, is still controversial.


METHODS
A functional food with a high content of natural antioxidants and with high carotenoid bioavailability was developed. The authors enrolled 92 patients with chronic hepatitis C, treated with standard combination therapy. Forty-six of them received a daily dose (100 g) of functional food (group 1), and 46 did not (group 2). The effect of antioxidant activity was assessed comparing compliance with the full dose of ribavirin and hemoglobin levels during the first 3 months of treatment.


RESULTS
Only 8.7% of patients in group 1 had to reduce their daily ribavirin dose, whereas ribavirin reduction was necessary for 30.4% of patients in group 2 (P = 0.09). Hemoglobin levels showed significant differences at 15, 30, and 90 days during the observation time.


CONCLUSIONS
Results demonstrated that the authors' functional food reduces the severity of ribavirin-related anemia and improves the tolerance to the full dose of ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Morisco
Filomena
F
Department of Food Science, University of Naples, Federico II, Italy. filomena.morisco@unina.it
Vitaglione
Paola
P
Carbone
Antonella
A
Stingo
Stefania
S
Scarpati
Sergio
S
Ascione
Antonio
A
Marmo
Riccardo
R
Fogliano
Vincenzo
V
Caporaso
Nicola
N
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001682:Biological Availability; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons