Exploratory study on the effects of treatment with two mistletoe preparations on chronic hepatitis C.
Twenty-one patients with chronic hepatitis C were treated with a mistletoe preparation as monotherapy (either Iscador or Abnoba viscum) during one year. The treatment was well tolerated. Patients entering the study with elevated transaminases had a significant improvement, both for AST (aspartate aminotransferase) (p = 0.01) and for ALT (alanine aminotransferase) (p = 0.04). Quality of life significantly improved (p = 0.006) in patients with a low initial quality of life. Although one patient obtained a complete virological response, few effects on viral load were seen in the whole group. These results suggest an effect comparable to glycyrrhicin treatment: improvement of liver inflammation and thus possibly reduction of the long term complications, viz cirrhosis and liver cancer. Mistletoe preparations have the advantage of easy administration and low cost.
Tusenius
Karel Jan
KJ
Berg en Bosch Medical Centre, Bilthoven The Netherlands. tusenius@tiscali.nl
Spoek
Anne Marie
AM
van Hattum
Jan
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014784:Mistletoe / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; C508047:abnoba viscum; C077177:viscum album peptide; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases