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.
Department of Hepatology, National Institute of Gastroenterology, 25th Avenue, 503, Vedado, Havana 10400, Cuba. vilar@infomed.sld.cu
Eduardo Vilar
EV
Gomez
Yadina Martinez
YM
Perez
Hector Vega
HV
Sanchez
Gretel Riveron
GR
Forment
Enrique Arus
EA
Soler
Luis Calzadilla
LC
Bertot
Ali Yasells
AY
Garcia
Maria
M
del Rosario Abreu Vazquez
Licet Gonzalez
LG
Fabian
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