Antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of Viusid in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of Viusid, a nutritional supplement, as an antioxidant and an immunomodulator in patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
Sixty patients with chronic hepatitis C who were non-responders to standard antiviral treatment were randomly assigned to receive Viusid (3 sachets daily, n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 24 wk. The primary outcome was the change in serum malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenals (lipid peroxidation products). Secondary outcomes were changes in serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10).


RESULTS
Statistically significant reductions in serum 4-hydroxyalkenals and malondialdehyde levels were observed in both groups in comparison with pretreatment values, but the patients who received Viusid showed a more marked reduction as compared with the control group (P = 0.001). TNF-alpha levels significantly increased from 6.9 to 16.2 pg/mL (P < 0.01) in the patients who received placebo in comparison with almost unchanged levels, from 6.6 to 7.1 pg/mL (P = 0.26), in the patients treated with Viusid (P = 0.001). In addition, IL-10 levels were markedly increased in the patients treated with Viusid (from 2.6 to 8.3 pg/mL, P = 0.04) in contrast to the patients assigned to placebo (from 2.8 to 4.1 pg/mL, P = 0.09) (P = 0.01). Likewise, the administration of Viusid markedly increased mean IFN-gamma levels from 1.92 to 2.89 pg/mL (P < 0.001) in comparison with a reduction in mean levels from 1.80 to 1.68 pg/mL (P = 0.70) in the placebo group (P < 0.0001). Viusid administration was well tolerated.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that treatment with Viusid leads to a notable improvement of oxidative stress and immunological parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Gomez
Eduardo Vilar
EV
Department of Hepatology, National Institute of Gastroenterology, 25th Avenue, 503, Vedado, Havana 10400, Cuba. vilar@infomed.sld.cu
Perez
Yadina Martinez
YM
Sanchez
Hector Vega
HV
Forment
Gretel Riveron
GR
Soler
Enrique Arus
EA
Bertot
Luis Calzadilla
LC
Garcia
Ali Yasells
AY
del Rosario Abreu Vazquez
Maria
M
Fabian
Licet Gonzalez
LG
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010205:Pantothenic Acid; D010919:Placebos / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D015032:Zinc / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000975:Antioxidants; D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts; C551853:Viusid; D010205:Pantothenic Acid; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D015032:Zinc; D001205:Ascorbic Acid