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Efficacy of intramuscular matrine in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B |
Yao Long, Xiao-Tian Lin, Kun-Lun Zeng and Lian Zhang |
Zhanjiang, China
Author Affiliations: Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang 524001, China (Long Y); Haibin Centre Hospital, Zhanjiang 524005, China (Lin XT); Centre of Hepatology of Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China (Zeng KL and Zhang L)
Corresponding Author: Yao Long, MD, Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang 524001, China (Tel: 86-759-2387855; Fax: 86-759-2388525; Email: zjlongyao@sina.com) |
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Abstract BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, a global public health problem, is the leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. There are more than 350 million HBV carriers in the world and up to one million die annually due to hepatitis B associated liver disease. So far no optimal treatment is available for patients with chronic hepatitis B. In the paper we investigated the efficacy of intramuscular matrine in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.
METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with chronic hepatitis B were randomly divided into matrine treatment group (n=60) and control group (n=60). The patients of the matrine group were given intramuscularly with matrine (an alkaloid extracted from a traditional Chinese herb Radix Sophorae Flavescentis by Guangzhou Ming Xing Pharmaceutical Factory, Guangzhou, China) of 100 mg daily for 90 days in addition to conventional liver-protective drugs including glucurone, inosine, compound vitamin B and caryophyllin. The control group received conventional liver-protective drugs alone. Clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters including liver biochemistry and serum hepatitis B virus markers were monitored before and after treatment in the two groups.
RESULTS: Significant differences were seen between the two groups in terms of improvement of clinical symptoms and signs, recovery of liver functions, and serum conversion from hepatitis Be antigen to HBe antibody and from positive to negative serum HBV DNA (P<0.05-0.01). The result of the matrine group was more marked than that of the control group. Serious side-effects were not observed except mild pain at the site of injection of matrine in a few patients.
CONCLUSION: These results indicate that intramuscular matrine may be an economical, efficacious, safe drug for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.
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