Herbs may work when drug fails against hepatitis

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(Moderators note: hepatitis C is well treated by vitamin C IV.)

 

 

Herbs may work when drug fails against hepatitis

2004-05-19 16:43:50

 

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By Karla Gale

 

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters Health) - An herbal mixture that includes

extracts of mistletoe and green tomato may lead to a treatment

response in patients with hepatitis C infection that does not

respond to interferon therapy, according to a report presented here

at a large medical conference.

 

This concoction is not recommended as first-line treatment, however,

since conventional therapy has a higher success rate with a shorter

duration of treatment. The possibility also exists that mistletoe

itself may be dangerous for patients with severe liver disease.

 

Dr. Harald Matthes and colleagues assessed the outcomes of 79

hepatitis C patients who were treated with the herbal mixture. The

patients had either failed to respond to interferon therapy or had a

specific reason why they couldn't receive such therapy.

 

After receiving the mixture for 2 years, 44 percent of patients had

a complete treatment response, 28 percent had a partial response,

and 28 percent had no response.

 

About 60 percent of patients had reactions at the injection site,

but otherwise adverse events were mild and uncommon.

 

The researchers estimate that the cost to treat each patient who

achieves a complete and sustained response is $5,600 with the herbal

extracts, compared with $28,000 for interferon therapy.

 

In an interview with Reuters Health, Matthes, based at Charite

University of Berlin, explained that the mistletoe extract activates

certain immune cells that trigger an attack on the hepatitis C

virus. Moreover, green tomato extract helps the liver clear infected

cells, and another ingredient helps the liver to regenerate, he

added.

 

Matthes noted that mistletoe is used in the treatment of about 60

percent of cancer patients in Germany, so its safety profile is well

established. However, he would not recommend these agents as first-

line treatment, since interferon is associated with a better

response rate and requires only one year of treatment.

 

Dr. Paul Pockros, from Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California, told

Reuters Health he was concerned that herbal treatment could induce

liver cell death, which could be " quite dangerous " for patients with

poor liver function to begin with. He also thinks it should not be

recommended until there is a better understanding of how these herbs

work.

 

However, he agrees with Matthes that such treatment could be

appropriate for patients who have no other choice of treatment for

hepatitis C.

 

But that remains a moot point in the US, he added, because

subcutaneous injections of mistletoe are considered a drug rather

than a dietary substance, and have not been approved by the FDA.

 

The findings were presented this week at Digestive Disease Week,

which is jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study

of Liver Diseases, the American Gastroenterological Association, the

American Society for gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and the Society for

Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

 

 

 

 

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