title: Orally administered Kampo medicine, Juzen-taiho-to, ameliorates anemia during interferon plus ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interferon plus ribavirin (IFN/Rib) therapy is currently standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Hemolytic anemia, however, is a serious side effect of this treatment, requiring reductions in or complete withdrawal of ribavirin.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively investigated the effect of the Kampo medicine Juzen-taiho-to (TJ-48), which contains bone marrow-stimulating compounds, on anemia in 67 patients with chronic hepatitis C, who received IFN/Rib therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reduction in hemoglobin levels was significantly ameliorated in TJ-48-treated patients (P<0.05). Consequently, only 13% (4/32) of TJ-48-treated patients received altered doses of ribavirin, while the ribavirin dose had to be reduced or withdrawn in 43% (15/35) of patients in the absence of TJ-48 administration (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate the possibility that oral administration of TJ-48 supports IFN/Rib therapy without necessitating ribavirin reduction or withdrawal.
authors.affiliation: Jiaikai Imamura Bun-in Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sho
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakashita
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tahara
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kubozono
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ido
authors.forename: Hirohito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsubouchi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D020835:Medicine, Kampo; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C063587:juzentaihoto; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons