title: Iloprost: an adjunctive approach to chronic viral hepatitis treatment.
abstract: Chronic viral liver disease may evolve to cirrhosis. The medical treatment to slow down this passage is based on anti-viral and anti-fibrotic properties of interferon. Recently, we evidenced significant increase of portal vein flow velocity and volume after a prostacyclin analog (iloprost) infusion in subjects without and with chronic viral hepatitis. On the basis of these results and considering both the pathophysiology of viral liver disease and the mechanism of action of iloprost in portal microcirculation, we hypothesize that it may be of some efficacy in chronic liver disease ameliorating the portal hemodynamics and producing an anti-oxidant liver effect.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Interdisciplinary Center for Biomedical Research (CIR), Italy. e.zardi@unicampus.it
authors.forename: Enrico Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Zardi
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vespasiani Gentilucci
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picardi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ambrosino
authors.forename: Vito Maria
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobrina
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afeltra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D004338:Drug Combinations; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D016285:Iloprost / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D016285:Iloprost