Milk Thistle (Silymarin) Demonstrates Anti-inflammatory and Anti-HCV Activity in a Laboratory Study

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is one of many alternative and complementary therapies that have been proposed for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and resulting liver fibrosis. While some such agents have long been used in traditional (e.g., Chinese) medicine, most have not been studied in Western clinical trials.
In the May 2007 issue of Gastroenterology, researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle reported on a laboratory study of the anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties of a standardized milk thistle silymarin extract known as MK-001.
Results
• MK-001 inhibited expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in anti-CD3 stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
• MK-001 also inhibited nuclear factor kappa B-dependent transcription in human hepatoma Huh7 cells.
• MK-001 inhibited infection of Huh7 and Huh7.5.1 cells by JFH-1 virus (a strain of HCV commonly used in laboratory studies) in a dose-dependent manner.
• MK-001 displayed both prophylactic and therapeutic effects against HCV infection.
• When combined with interferon alpha, MK-001 inhibited HCV replication more than interferon alone.
• Commercially available preparations of silymarin also displayed antiviral activity, but the effects were not as potent as those of MK-001.
• The antiviral effects of MK-001 were attributable in part to induction of Stat-1 phosphorylation.
• Interferon-independent mechanisms were suggested when the extract was biochemically fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography.
• The compounds silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, and isosilybin B produced the strongest anti-NF-kappa B and anti-HCV action.
• These effects were independent of cytotoxicity induced by MK-001.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the authors wrote, "The data indicate that silymarin exerts anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects, and suggest that complementary and alternative medicine-based approaches may assist in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C."
06/15/07
Reference
SJ Polyak, C Morishima, MC Shuhart, and others. Inhibition of T-cell inflammatory cytokines, hepatocyte NF-kappa B signaling, and HCV infection by standardized silymarin. Gastroenterology 132(5): 1925-1936. May 2007.

July 13, 2007
HCV and the Body's Most Important Antioxidant
Humans have a potent chemical within every cell for protection against dangerous substances. Learn why one particular antioxidant is considered the be the body's most important, and what makes it so vital to the health of your liver.
by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.
Composed of three amino acids (glutamine, cysteine and glycine), glutathione is a well-known chemical that benefits individuals with Hepatitis C. It is an enzyme found in all tissues protecting against potential damage from wastes and toxins. Due to its constant battle to defend itself against Hepatitis C, a liver dealing with this virus can use all the help it can get to resist injury from toxic compounds.
Antioxidants are important for health preservation because they neutralize free radicals, which can build up in cells and cause damage. “Glutathione is a very interesting, very small molecule that’s [produced by the body and] found in every cell,” says Gustavo Bounous, MD, director of research and development at Immunotec and a retired professor of surgery at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. “It's the [body's] most important antioxidant because it's within the cell.”
Because glutathione resides within the cells, it is in the best position to neutralize free radicals. It also has potentially widespread health benefits because it can be found in all types of cells, including the cells of the immune system, whose primary responsibility is to battle disease.

Glutathione Deficiency
Clinical studies have demonstrated that the level of glutathione is significantly depressed in many people with Hepatitis C. Glutathione deficiency can be the result of:
• diseases that increase the need for glutathione
• deficiencies of the amino acids needed for synthesis
• diseases that inhibit glutathione formation
Regardless of how it was caused, glutathione deficiency is an important factor contributing to liver damage. Glutathione levels decline naturally as people age, fight a chronic disease or are exposed to excessive amounts of toxins. Insufficient glutathione levels reduce the liver’s ability to break down drugs, chemicals and other toxins, enhancing the probability of liver damage.
Glutathione Supplementation
The cellular consumption of glutathione is greater by those with chronic Hepatitis C than those without the virus, increasing the demand for this chemical. Although glutathione is available as an over-the-counter pill, its absorption into cells has been repeatedly questioned. A majority of experts on glutathione supplementation suggest people with chronic Hepatitis C take its amino acid building blocks, which are then converted by the body into glutathione.
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a building block of glutathione which helps boost its levels in the body. In the case of an acetaminophen overdose, NAC is administered by physicians to detoxify the drug before it destroys too many liver cells and becomes fatal. NAC has been shown to increase blood glutathione in HIV-infected patients with low levels of glutathione due to their chronic infection.
One study of 24 Hepatitis C patients with low glutathione showed that 600 mg of NAC taken three times daily along with interferon therapy led to a normalization of ALT liver enzymes in 41 percent of patients. In addition, the viral loads of participants on NAC were significantly lowered. NAC appeared to have the significant effect of bringing glutathione levels back to normal inside white blood cells after six months of combined therapy. While not every study evaluating NAC with Hepatitis C has confirmed these results, most healthcare practitioners value this relatively inexpensive supplement to boost glutathione and protect the liver from incurring further damage.

Dietary Influences
Glutathione occurs naturally in many foods, and people who eat well probably have enough in their diets, says Dean Jones, PhD, professor of biochemistry and director of nutritional health sciences at Emory University in Atlanta. Glutathione is found in fruits and vegetables, including:
• Watermelon, grapefruit, strawberries, oranges, cantaloupe, and peaches
• Avocadoes, asparagus, potatoes, acorn squash, tomatoes, broccoli, okra, zucchini, and spinach
• Herbs such as cinnamon and cardamom contain compounds capable of restoring healthy levels of glutathione
• Cyanohydroxybutene, a chemical found in broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage, is also thought to increase glutathione levels
When equipped with the raw ingredients, the body is more apt to manufacture glutathione. High protein foods are rich in the three amino acids found in glutathione:
1. Cysteine – is found in ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, pork, sausage meat, chicken, turkey, duck, wheat germ, granola, and oat flakes.
2. Glutamine – is found in fish, meat, beans, and dairy products.
3. Glycine – is found in fish, meat, legumes, and dairy products.

Most people with chronic Hepatitis C are aware of the potential damage toxins can inflict on their liver. In support of this effort, being sure to get enough antioxidants into their body has become routine. Glutathione and its precursor (NAC) should have a place on the healthcare considerations of every person with chronic Hepatitis C. Since this powerful antioxidant actually protects liver cells from the inside, glutathione is an invaluable ally in maintaining liver health. By increasing glutathione-rich food intake or by supplementing with NAC, you can fortify your liver cells against the Hepatitis C virus.

References:
www.au.health.yahoo.com, Glutathione, Healthpoint Technologies, 2007.
www.hepcchallenge.org, Nutritional Supplementation, Lark Lands, PhD, Lyn Patrick, ND, Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors Foundation, 2007.
www.liversupport.com, How One Man Uses Natural Remedies to Live a Full Life with Hepatitis C, Natural Wellness, 2007.
www.medicinenet.com, Glutathione: New Supplement on the Block, Alison Palkhivala, MedicineNet, Inc., 2007.
www.raysahelian.com, Glutathione: A Practical Guide, Ray Sahelian, MD, 2007.
www.thebody.com, Liver Dinner, Sandra Goldsmith, MS, RD, Body Positive, September 2000.
www.vitamins-supplements.org, Glutathione, Vitamin Supplements Guide, 2007.
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2007/07/hcv_and_the_bod.html
Report: hepatitis C adds to risk of lymphoma

www.chinaview.cn 2007-05-25 16:47:04

BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Researchers tracked 146,394 U.S.veterans infected with hepatitis C and discovered the virus, already connected to liver cancer and cirrhosis, increases the risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, by 20 to 30 percent.
The findings were published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer that originates in the lymphoid tissue that makes up the lymph nodes, spleen and other organs of the immune system, with tumors developing from white blood cells. It is more common in men than women.
"The thought is that hepatitis C is a chronic infection, and as a chronic infection it results in chronic stimulation of the immune system. And these cancers are cancers of the immune system, essentially," said Dr. Thomas Giordano of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, lead author of the study.
Hepatitis C infection also raised by 300 percent the risk for a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma called Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Risk for cryoglobulinemia, involving abnormal levels of certain antibodies in the blood, also rose.
The hepatitis C virus is carried through the blood and spread from one person to another through the exchange of bodily fluids — for example, by sharing needles during injection drug use or by sexual contact.
Infection with the hepatitis C virus, also called HCV, came before the development of these cancers and the increased risk was long-lasting, the study found.
"Although the risk of developing lymphomas is small, our research suggests that screening of HCV-infected individuals could identify conditions which may lead to cancer," co-author Dr. Eric Engels of the National Cancer Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of health, said in a statement.
(Agencies)
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-05/25/content_6152131.htm