Application of kushenin on patients with chronic hepatitis C after renal transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of kushenin in treating patients with chronic hepatitis C after renal transplantation.


METHODS
Fifty-five patients were randomly assigned by lottery to the treatment group (29 cases) and control group (26 cases). The same immunosuppression therapy was given to all patients in both groups. Patients in the treatment group were treated with kushenin 0.6 g once a day, while those in the control group were treated with conventional liver protective agents such as vitamins. The treatment duration of both groups was 3 months. The incidences of serious hepatitis and acute rejection reaction, serum biochemistry parameters including indicators of liver and kidney functions, hepatic fibrosis index, and serum HCV-RNA were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
(1) The incidence of serious hepatitis in the treatment group and the control group was 3.45% (1/29 cases) and 11.54% (3/26 cases), respectively, which was insignificantly different between the two groups (P=0.335). (2) The incidence of acute rejection in the treatment group was 6.90% (2/29 cases) and that in the control group was 7.69% (2/26 cases), showing insignificant difference (P=0.335). (3) The differences in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), direct bilirubin (DBIL), hyaluronic acid (HA), propeptide collagen type III (PC III), laminin (LN), collagen type IV (Col IV) levels between the two groups were insignificant before transplantation (P>0.05), while the above-mentioned parameters in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group after transplantation (P<0.05). The difference in serum creatinine (SCr) and endogenous creatinine clearance rate (CCr) between the two groups was insignificant before and after transplantation (P>0.05). (4) The negative conversion rate of HCV-RNA in the treatment group was 31.03% (9/29 cases), significantly higher than the value of 11.54% (3/26 cases) in the control group after transplantation (P<0.05). (5) The levels of serum ALT and DBIL in patients with HCV-RNA converted to negative were significantly lower than those with still-positive HCV-RNA (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Kushenin has a certain effect on inhibiting the proliferation of HCV, protecting liver cells, and anti-liver fibrosis. On the other hand, it has no obvious influence on renal allograft function. Thus, the drug is clinically safe and effective for use in treating patients with chronic hepatitis C after renal transplantation.
Department of Renal Transplant, Center of Nephropathy, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Department of Rheumatism, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an, 710061, China.
Yang
Y
Li
Wu-jun
WJ
Xue
Ping
P
Fan
Chen-guang
CG
Ding
Huan-jin
HJ
Song
Xiao-ming
XM
Ding
Xin-shun
XS
Feng
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D036343:Pterocarpans / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D036343:Pterocarpans; D012367:RNA, Viral; C534228:kushenin