title: [Effect of Gandou Decoction IV combined with short-term decoppering therapy with sodium dimercapto-sulphonate on serum indexes of hepatic fibrosis in patients with Wilson' s disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of Gandou Decoction IV (GDIV) on serum indexes of hepatic fibrosis and liver function in patients with Wilson's disease (WD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one WD patients were assigned to two groups, 30 patients in the sodium dimercaptosulphonate (DMPS) group and 31 patients in the GD IV group. Both groups received 8 courses of DMPS treatment with 6 days as one course, and the GD IV group was given GD IV additionally. Serum indexes of liver function were examined, serum matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were detected by double antibody sandwish ABC enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and serum hyaluronic (HA), laminin (LN), procollagen III (PC III) and collagen type IV (C-IV) were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment, all indexes of hepatic fibrosis and liver function had no significant change in the DMPS group, while in the GD IV group, the serum TIMP-1 level markedly decreased (P <0.05), the ratio of MMP-1/TIMP-1 significantly increased (P <0.01), and serum indexes of liver function markedly decreased (P < 0.05), but the changes in serum levels of HA, LN and PCIII, as well as in serum MMP-1 and C-IV were insignificant (P> 0.05), though they showed a trend of decreasing or increasing, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term decopper-ing treatment with DMPS alone has no significant effect on hepatic function and serum fibrosis indexes in WD patients, while combined with GD IV, it can improve liver function and display an anti-fibrosis effect through inhibiting the serum TIMP-1 level and increasing the ratio of MMP-1/TIMP-1.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei. xuebenchun2007@126.com
authors.forename: Ben-Chun
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Ren-Min
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ji-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006527:Hepatolenticular Degeneration / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000097:blood; D008517:Phytotherapy; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood; D014494:Unithiol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; C533627:gandou IV; D014494:Unithiol; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1