Herbal solution underway
Herbal solution undergoes Phase II clinical trial for hepatitis C
World Disease Weekly - Jun. 20, 2006
Chronic hepatitis C is associated with significant morbidity (liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma) and mortality.
Current treatment is based on interferon and ribavirin. However, treatment options are limited for patients who are not candidates for interferon-based therapy, particularly for those who suffer from HCV genotype 1 infection.
Sho-saiko-to (SST), a standardized herbal formula, is under a clinical phase II trial by a leading New York cancer research institute to determine its effect on hepatitis C patients. The research group reported the preliminary results of 15 patients at the 2nd Society of Integrative Oncology Conference in San Diego on November 10, 2005. This study was titled "Sho-saiko-to for Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Who Are Intolerant to or Have Contraindication to Interferon-Based Therapy: A Phase II Study."
SST is known to have anti-fibrotic effect by inhibition of lipid peroxidation in hepatocytes and stellate cells in animal studies. It has also been shown to reduce aminotransferase levels and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis and liver cirrhosis patients.
According to the design of the clinical trial, 31 patients will receive SST daily for 52 weeks. Fifteen patients have completed the treatment and the preliminary results have been reported. No serious adverse events have been attributed to SST among any patients who enrolled in the trial. Among the 15 patients who completed the study, reductions in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were observed in 11 patients and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in 10 patients. In 10 patients, the liver biopsy showed 20% improvement on histological assessment of the liver.
This is consistent with the findings by the Japanese researchers for its anti-inflammatory effect. More interestingly, the majority of the patients whom participated in the clinical trial were genotype 1 infection.
In Japan, over 75% of physicians use at least some of the traditional herbal formulas. Over 1.5 million Japanese patients with hepatitis have been treated with Sho-saiko-to. SST is available in capsules through HepCare Inc., a Phoenix-based company that has licensed the marketing right of SST from Honso Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., the Nagoya-based Japanese manufacturer of the standardized herbal formula.
This article was prepared by World Disease Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, World Disease Weekly via NewsRx.com.
World Disease Weekly - Jun. 20, 2006
Chronic hepatitis C is associated with significant morbidity (liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma) and mortality.
Current treatment is based on interferon and ribavirin. However, treatment options are limited for patients who are not candidates for interferon-based therapy, particularly for those who suffer from HCV genotype 1 infection.
Sho-saiko-to (SST), a standardized herbal formula, is under a clinical phase II trial by a leading New York cancer research institute to determine its effect on hepatitis C patients. The research group reported the preliminary results of 15 patients at the 2nd Society of Integrative Oncology Conference in San Diego on November 10, 2005. This study was titled "Sho-saiko-to for Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Who Are Intolerant to or Have Contraindication to Interferon-Based Therapy: A Phase II Study."
SST is known to have anti-fibrotic effect by inhibition of lipid peroxidation in hepatocytes and stellate cells in animal studies. It has also been shown to reduce aminotransferase levels and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis and liver cirrhosis patients.
According to the design of the clinical trial, 31 patients will receive SST daily for 52 weeks. Fifteen patients have completed the treatment and the preliminary results have been reported. No serious adverse events have been attributed to SST among any patients who enrolled in the trial. Among the 15 patients who completed the study, reductions in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were observed in 11 patients and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in 10 patients. In 10 patients, the liver biopsy showed 20% improvement on histological assessment of the liver.
This is consistent with the findings by the Japanese researchers for its anti-inflammatory effect. More interestingly, the majority of the patients whom participated in the clinical trial were genotype 1 infection.
In Japan, over 75% of physicians use at least some of the traditional herbal formulas. Over 1.5 million Japanese patients with hepatitis have been treated with Sho-saiko-to. SST is available in capsules through HepCare Inc., a Phoenix-based company that has licensed the marketing right of SST from Honso Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., the Nagoya-based Japanese manufacturer of the standardized herbal formula.
This article was prepared by World Disease Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, World Disease Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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