Preliminary study on
therapeutic effect of oxymatrine
in treating patients with
chronic hepatitis C
by Li J, Li C & Zeng M
Renji Hospital of Shanghai, Second
Medical University, Shanghai 200001.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of oxymatrine
in treating chronic hepatitis C and its mechanism. METHODS:
Forty-three patient were divided randomly into the treated
group (20 cases) and the control group (23 cases). The treated
group was given oxymatrine 600 mg per day intramuscularly,
and the control group was given the general liver protective
agents such as vitamins. The therapeutic course of both groups
was 3 months. RESULTS: HCVRNA of 8 in 17 cases (47.1%) of the
treated group converted to negative, while in 18 cases of the
control group, the negative conversion only took place in 1
patient (5.6%), the negative conversion rate was significantly
higher in the treated group than that in the control group
(P < 0.05). The normalization rates of serum alanine transaminase
(ALT) of the treated group after 1 month and 2 months treatment
was higher than that of the control group, but after 3 months
treatment, the normalization rates of the two groups were not
different significantly. Plasma level of soluble interleukin-2
receptor and serum level of collagen type IV in the treated
group were lowered significantly after treatment, but in the
control group, there were no significant change, the difference
between the two groups was significant (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Oxymatrine is effective in inhibiting proliferation
of HCV, antagonisting liver fibrosis and regulating immune
reaction of the host, so it could be a safe, effective drug
in treating chronic hepatitis C.
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Oxymatrine
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