Effect of the Chinese Herbal Mebicine, Chia-Wei-Hsiao Yao-San, on Chronic Hepatitis

Abstract

Objectives: This study compared the effects of Chinese herbs formulas on the chronic hepatitis in the hospital patients. Previous studies showed that the spleen meridian seems especially important in liver diseases, so we selected ”Chia-Wei-Hsiao-Yan-San” (Formula A) in order to add tonic to the spleen meridian and improve the liver meridian while ”Xiao-Chia-Hu-Tang” (Formula B) adds tonic to the lung and the liver meridian. Methods: Eighty patients of chronic viral hepatitis (SGOT, SGPT above normal but below 400 IU/L) were included in this study randomly and divided into A and B group. In Group A, 33 patients were treated for three months with Chinese herbs (Formula A). For the same period of time. 29 patients in Group B were treated with Chinese herbs (Formula B). The effects of the treatment were evaluated by blood tests of liver function. Results: The Group A had decreased value of SGOT from before treatment reading of 47.5±31.3 IU/L to after three-month treatment reading of 39. 8±26.7 IU/L and also decreased values of SGPT from before treatment reading of 72.0±52.7 IU/L to after three-month treatment reading of 57.8±42.5 IU/L. Both readings were statistically significant being p＜0.01. On the contrary, the Group B had increased values of SGOT and SGPT after three-month treatment. After three-month treatment, the SGOT and SGPT of the Group A were all significantly lower than those of the Group B. Conclusion: Chinese herbs formula ”Chia-Wei-Hsiao-Yao-San” was more effective in lowering liver inflammation than ”Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang” that is widely used by Japanese as an effective treatment for liver diseases. This result is consistent with our hypothesis, and also matches pulse studies as well as Chinese Medicine's emphasis on maintaining the strength of the spleen in liver disease because these two systems are very closely related.