Effect of Chishao Chengqi decoction on endotoxin and TNF-α in patients with severe hepatic diseases

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

To observe the effect of Chishao Chengqi decoction (CCD) in treating severe hepatopathy and its influence on serum endotoxin(ET) and tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-α), in order to explore the possible mechanism of CCD in protecting liver cells and in preventing liver failure. Sixty patients suffering from hepatopathy were divided into the treated group and control group randomly, 30 in each group. They were treated with comprehensive treatment, including hepatocyte growth-promoting factors, thymosin, Transmetil and albumin. CCD was given to the treated group additionally. The therapeutic effects were observed and the changes of some biochemical criteria, including alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TB), albumin (ALB) as well as such parameters as prothrombin activity (PTA), serum levels of ET and TNF-; were all detected respectively before treatment and after treatment. In the treated group, 8 patients was clinically cured after treatment, 11 were markedly alleviated, 7 improved and 4 remained unchanged, while in the control group, the respective numbers were 5,8,8 and 9. The total effective rate of the treated group was significantly better than that of the control group by(P<0. 05). ET and TNF-a levels in patients were significantly higher than the normal range before treatment, and they were lowered after treatment. Comparison of the effect between the two groups showed significant difference (P<0.05 ) , with that in the treated group better than that in the control group. CCD decoction could reduce the production and releasing of ET and TNF-α in severe hepatopathy patients, which might be one of its therapeutic mechanisms.