Ayurvedic supplement to help chronic hepatitis

[Guest guest]

I don't know if anyone remembers, but several months ago I had written asking

about helping one of my dogs who had elevated liver values (ALT).  Since then,

even with some Western supplements, her values have escalated, so she underwent

several diagnostics, which confirmed chronic hepatitis.  A friend has

recommended an Ayurvedic supplement called Livotrit Plus.  I've pasted the

following ingredients below.  Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on

this supplement for my girl Mindy?

 

<snip>

 

Eclipta alba (extract) (root and aerial part), Tinospora cordifolia (extract)

(stem part), Andrographis paniculata (extract) (leaves and stem), Boerhaavia

diffusa (extract) (root and aerial part), Picrorhiza kurroa (extract) (root and

rhizomes), Berberis aristata (extract) (stem), Milk Thistle (extract) (root and

aerial part), and Saccharum officinarum (extract) (shoot).

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Tamara

 

" Don't believe everything you think. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Tamara

I know the people on the TICK-L list swear by Liver Support Factors to

help with elevated liver enzymes due to taking such high doses of

doxycyline. It is made by Natural Factors. Sorry I missed your other

post.

 

Sherry

 

On Oct 15, 2008, at 9:49 PM, Tamara wrote:

 

> I don't know if anyone remembers, but several months ago I had written

> asking about helping one of my dogs who had elevated liver values

> (ALT).  Since then, even with some Western supplements, her values

> have escalated, so she underwent several diagnostics, which confirmed

> chronic hepatitis.  A friend has recommended an Ayurvedic supplement

> called Livotrit Plus.  I've pasted the following ingredients below. 

> Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on this supplement for my

> girl Mindy?

>  

> <snip>

>  

> Eclipta alba (extract) (root and aerial part), Tinospora cordifolia

> (extract) (stem part), Andrographis paniculata (extract) (leaves and

> stem), Boerhaavia diffusa (extract) (root and aerial part), Picrorhiza

> kurroa (extract) (root and rhizomes), Berberis aristata (extract)

> (stem), Milk Thistle (extract) (root and aerial part), and Saccharum

> officinarum (extract) (shoot).

>  

>  

>

> Thanks,

>

>  

> Tamara

>  

> " Don't believe everything you think. "

>

>  

>

>

[Guest guest]

Tamara, my knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine is basically nil but I recognise

one of the ingredients in the supplement - milk thistle extract. It's one of

the most scientifically researched plant supplements & backed by many

centuries of use. I can't comment on the others without doing a lot of

reading for each herb individually which I'm sure you could do too. But I'd

like to add a caution - which I'm also sure you know already. But just in

case...

 

Dogs aren't obligate carnivores like cats are but their main diet is still

meat. Animals who rarely eat plants often don't have the liver enzymes

herbivores or omnivores have. I don't mean enzymes like ALT or AST used in

lab tests but the liver cytochromes that break down or metabolize harmful

compounds into soluble safer forms to be excreted. It's one reason some drugs

useful for humans can be deadly to pets.

 

Cats & dogs can be poisoned from some plant compounds that we handle safely

because they lack some of the cytochromes we have. So just a word of caution

that certain herbs perfectly safe for humans aren't necessarily safe for

pets.

 

About milk thistle - You may see it referred to as silymarin too. It's one of

the safest supplements there is for animals, carnivore or otherwise, & it's

supposed to offer liver support & have hepatic protective properties. There

are other supplements that help support the liver, allowing it time to heal.

Some of these are SAM-e, carnitine (an amino acid) & a moderate (not high)

amount of vitamin C. In cats, too much vitamin C can lead to oxalate stone

formation but not sure how this affects dogs. I'd also suggest joining a

holistic canine group just to ask more.

 

Here's something relating to dogs about milk thistle. Ignore that the site

deals with epilepsy in dogs. This info applies to liver disease with dogs.

http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/MilkThistle.html I'm sorry but I'm far more

familiar with feline physiology than I am with canine.

 

Cornell veterinary college has a website that deals with various blood tests.

I'm quoting some info about ALT for you to consider, please.

 

Serum half-life is 2-5 days in dogs and < 24 hours in cats. Following acute

hepatic injury, serum enzyme activity peaks at about 48 hours and then begins

to decrease.

and

Both primary and secondary hepatic disease can cause increased ALT levels, if

altered cell membrane permeability or necrosis occur. Usually ALT values

exceed AST values in liver disease. Hepatic neoplasia can result in marked

increases in ALT in dogs, although increases in AST are often higher than the

increases in ALT. Bile duct obstruction will increase ALT (and AST) due to

the toxic effects of retained bile salts on hepatocytes. Trauma will often

increase ALT levels, even without morphologic evidence of cell injury.

http://www.diaglab.vet.cornell.edu/clinpath/modules/chem/alt.htm

 

It's important to look at her ALT level in relation to other liver enzyme

levels. There may be more going on than just hepatitis. I wish I could help

more but my knowledge is with cats. I really suggest joining a good canine

liver disease group or two, especially with a holistic slant. They would know

which ones work well. Many believe in using TCM or Ayurvedic therapy along

with conventional medicine.

 

Judy

 

On Wednesday 15 October 2008 7:49:26 pm Tamara wrote:

> I don't know if anyone remembers, but several months ago I had written

> asking about helping one of my dogs who had elevated liver values (ALT). 

> Since then, even with some Western supplements, her values have escalated,

> so she underwent several diagnostics, which confirmed chronic hepatitis.  A

> friend has recommended an Ayurvedic supplement called Livotrit Plus.  I've

> pasted the following ingredients below.  Does anyone have any experience or

> thoughts on this supplement for my girl Mindy?

> <snip>

>  

> Eclipta alba (extract) (root and aerial part), Tinospora cordifolia

> (extract) (stem part), Andrographis paniculata (extract) (leaves and stem),

> Boerhaavia diffusa (extract) (root and aerial part), Picrorhiza kurroa

> (extract) (root and rhizomes), Berberis aristata (extract) (stem), Milk

> Thistle (extract) (root and aerial part), and Saccharum officinarum

> (extract) (shoot).

>  

>

> Thanks,

>

>  

> Tamara

>  

> " Don't believe everything you think. "

[Guest guest]

http://www.electroherbalism.com/Bioelectronics/FrequenciesandAnecdotes/CAFL.htm

 

Hepatitis_A (add Hepatitis general freqs if necessary) - 321, 346, 414,

423, 487, 558, 578, 693, 786, 878, 3220, 717

Hepatitis_B (add Hepatitis general freqs if necessary) - 334, 433, 767,

869, 876, 477, 574, 752, 779

Hepatitis_B_HC (antigen) -- 20562.06, 1023.72

Hepatitis_C (also try Parasites, schistosoma mansoni and Hepatitis

general freqs if necessary) -- 5000, 3220, 3176, 2489, 2189, 1865, 1600,

1550, 1500, 1371, 933, 931, 929, 880, 802, 665, 650, 633, 625, 528, 444,

329, 317, 250, 224, 166, 146, 125, 95, 72, 28, 20

Hepatitis_C_1 - 10000, 5000, 3220, 3176, 2489, 1865, 1600, 1550, 1500,

880, 802, 665, 650, 600, 444, 250, 166, 146, 125, 95, 72, 28, 20

Hepatitis_C_TR -- 728, 166, 224, 317, 727, 787, 880, 2189

Hepatitis_general - 1550, 1351, 922, 880, 802, 727, 477, 329, 317, 224, 28

Hepatitis_general_secondary - 284, 458, 477, 534, 788, 922, 9670, 768,

777, 1041

Hepatitis_general_v - 987, 934, 922, 878, 876, 842, 786, 781, 563, 562,

558, 534, 528, 477, 334, 321, 317, 224, 213, 166

 

 

 

Judy Wilkins wrote:

> Tamara, my knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine is basically nil but I recognise

> one of the ingredients in the supplement - milk thistle extract. It's one of

> the most scientifically researched plant supplements & backed by many

> centuries of use. I can't comment on the others without doing a lot of

> reading for each herb individually which I'm sure you could do too. But I'd

> like to add a caution - which I'm also sure you know already. But just in

> case...

>

> Dogs aren't obligate carnivores like cats are but their main diet is still

> meat. Animals who rarely eat plants often don't have the liver enzymes

> herbivores or omnivores have. I don't mean enzymes like ALT or AST used in

> lab tests but the liver cytochromes that break down or metabolize harmful

> compounds into soluble safer forms to be excreted. It's one reason some drugs

> useful for humans can be deadly to pets.

>

> Cats & dogs can be poisoned from some plant compounds that we handle safely

> because they lack some of the cytochromes we have. So just a word of caution

> that certain herbs perfectly safe for humans aren't necessarily safe for

> pets.

>

> About milk thistle - You may see it referred to as silymarin too. It's one of

> the safest supplements there is for animals, carnivore or otherwise, & it's

> supposed to offer liver support & have hepatic protective properties. There

> are other supplements that help support the liver, allowing it time to heal.

> Some of these are SAM-e, carnitine (an amino acid) & a moderate (not high)

> amount of vitamin C. In cats, too much vitamin C can lead to oxalate stone

> formation but not sure how this affects dogs. I'd also suggest joining a

> holistic canine group just to ask more.

>

> Here's something relating to dogs about milk thistle. Ignore that the site

> deals with epilepsy in dogs. This info applies to liver disease with dogs.

> http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/MilkThistle.html I'm sorry but I'm far more

> familiar with feline physiology than I am with canine.

>

> Cornell veterinary college has a website that deals with various blood tests.

> I'm quoting some info about ALT for you to consider, please.

>

> Serum half-life is 2-5 days in dogs and < 24 hours in cats. Following acute

> hepatic injury, serum enzyme activity peaks at about 48 hours and then begins

> to decrease.

> and

> Both primary and secondary hepatic disease can cause increased ALT levels, if

> altered cell membrane permeability or necrosis occur. Usually ALT values

> exceed AST values in liver disease. Hepatic neoplasia can result in marked

> increases in ALT in dogs, although increases in AST are often higher than the

> increases in ALT. Bile duct obstruction will increase ALT (and AST) due to

> the toxic effects of retained bile salts on hepatocytes. Trauma will often

> increase ALT levels, even without morphologic evidence of cell injury.

> http://www.diaglab.vet.cornell.edu/clinpath/modules/chem/alt.htm

>

> It's important to look at her ALT level in relation to other liver enzyme

> levels. There may be more going on than just hepatitis. I wish I could help

> more but my knowledge is with cats. I really suggest joining a good canine

> liver disease group or two, especially with a holistic slant. They would know

> which ones work well. Many believe in using TCM or Ayurvedic therapy along

> with conventional medicine.

>

> Judy

>

> On Wednesday 15 October 2008 7:49:26 pm Tamara wrote:

>

>> I don't know if anyone remembers, but several months ago I had written

>> asking about helping one of my dogs who had elevated liver values (ALT).

>> Since then, even with some Western supplements, her values have escalated,

>> so she underwent several diagnostics, which confirmed chronic hepatitis. A

>> friend has recommended an Ayurvedic supplement called Livotrit Plus. I've

>> pasted the following ingredients below. Does anyone have any experience or

>> thoughts on this supplement for my girl Mindy?

>> <snip>

>>

>> Eclipta alba (extract) (root and aerial part), Tinospora cordifolia

>> (extract) (stem part), Andrographis paniculata (extract) (leaves and stem),

>> Boerhaavia diffusa (extract) (root and aerial part), Picrorhiza kurroa

>> (extract) (root and rhizomes), Berberis aristata (extract) (stem), Milk

>> Thistle (extract) (root and aerial part), and Saccharum officinarum

>> (extract) (shoot).

>>

>>

>> Thanks,

>>

>>

>> Tamara

>>

>> " Don't believe everything you think. "

>>

>

> ---

>

> Post message address: Chinese Traditional Medicine

> http://health.Chinese Traditional Medicine/

[Guest guest]

Judy,

 

Thanks for this informative post ! Mindy has been on the following

(Western) supplements for the past several months: milk thistle, SAM-

e, fish oil caps, Vitamin C, lecithin. I belong to a canine liver

list that recommends a liver cleansing diet consisting mainly of

sweet potatoes, a few (very little) veggies, and white fish. Red

meats create more ammonia which is difficult for liver compromised

dogs to handle. Some turkey and/or chicken can be substituted, but

cottage cheese and eggs are other protein choices for liver dogs.

 

The diagnostic test that Mindy had (along with others) was a liver

biopsy, which confirmed the hepatitis. The vet said the left lobe of

the liver was swollen, discolored, and engorged.

 

While we don't know truly know the cause of the hepatitis, I would

guess that an entire life of anxiety was the cause, though Mindy was

on some medication for 4 years--to actually help her anxiety--which

she's been off now for 8 mos. She is now on melatonin for the

anxiety. The liver stores anger and anxiety is anger turned inward.

Mindy was a chain dog at a drug house, then moved and left, and a

week later rescued.

 

Milk thistle was the 1st thing I started her on when her liver

enzymes were elevated. Her ALT was the only elevation, all other of

the enzymes were and have remained normal.

 

I'm interested in seeing what list members familiar or expert in

Ayervedic herbs have to say about the other herbs and the combination

listed as I'm only a beginner in the study of TCM.

 

Thanks again,

 

Tamara

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , Judy Wilkins <isomorphix

wrote:

>

> Tamara, my knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine is basically nil but I

recognise

> one of the ingredients in the supplement - milk thistle extract.

[Guest guest]

Sherry,

 

I belong to a canine liver list--I'll have to see if this is

mentioned. Thanks for the info :-)

 

Tamara

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , sherry bakko <sbakko

wrote:

>

> Tamara

> I know the people on the TICK-L list swear by Liver Support Factors

to

> help with elevated liver enzymes due to taking such high doses of

> doxycyline. It is made by Natural Factors. Sorry I missed your

other

> post.

>

> Sherry