[Aspartate-ornithine granules in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a multiple-dose parallel controlled clinical trial].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of aspartate-ornithine granules in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).


METHODS
Seventy-two patients with NASH were included in this multiple-dose parallel controlled clinical trial and received a 12-week course of aspartate-ornithine granule treatment at either high-dose (6 g bid po; n = 38) or low-dose (3 g bid po; n = 34). Clinical efficacy was assessed by monitoring data from urinalysis, serologic tests (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and triglyceride (TG)), and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan. Safety was assessed by occurrence of adverse events (fatigue, anorexia, abdominal distension, nausea, and vomiting). Statistical analyses were conducted to determine the significance of differences between parameters before (baseline) and after treatment.


RESULTS
After 12 weeks of treatment, the liver and spleen CT ratios in both the high-dose group (0.89 +/- 0.19) and the low-dose group (0.80 +/- 0.15) were significantly higher than at baseline (S = 329, P less than 0.0001 and S = 246, P less than 0.0001); the overall improvement was more robust in the high-dose group (52.63%) than in the low-dose group (38.23%) (Z = -2.1042, P less than 0.05). After 6 and 12 weeks of treatment, the serum ALT levels in both the high-dose group and the low-dose group were significantly lower than at baseline (6 weeks: S = 324.5, P less than 0.0001 and S = 223, P less than 0.0001; 12 weeks: S = 370.5, P less than 0.0001 and S = 297.5, P less than 0.0001); the overall improvement was more robust in the high-dose group (79.0%) than in the low-dose group (53.0%) (Z = -2.0533, P less than 0.05). Similar trends were seen for the serum levels of AST and GGT after 6 and 12 weeks of treatment (all P less than 0.01) and serum levels of TG after 12 weeks of treatment. The rate of adverse reactions was low and similar between the two groups (high-dose: 4.8% and low-dose: 4.4%; all gastrointestinal).


CONCLUSIONS
Aspartate-ornithine granule therapy was an effective and safe treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, with the higher dose of 6 g bid po providing more robust clinical benefit without affecting the safety profile.
Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China.
Li-yan
LY
Tian
Lun-gen
LG
Lu
Cheng-wei
CW
Tang
Yan
Y
Xie
He-sheng
HS
Luo
Shi-yun
SY
Tan
Zhi
Z
Pang
Ya-li
YL
Zhang
Lan-bo
LB
Gong
You-ming
YM
Li
Shao-hua
SH
Chen
Jun-ping
JP
Shi
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D004151:Dipeptides; D014280:Triglycerides; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; C002939:ornithylaspartate