Conference Reports for NATAP

EASL 43rd Annual Meeting of the European Association For The Study Of The Liver Milan, Italy April 23-27, 2008 Back

SILIBININ IS A POTENT ANTIVIRAL AGENT IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C NOT RESPONDING TO ANTIVIRAL COMBINATION THERAPY       Reported by Jules Levin 43rd EASL April 23-27, 2008-05-01Milan, Italy   Peter Ferenci, Thomas M. Scherzer, Harald Hofer, Katharina Staufer, Petra Munda   Internal Medicine 3 Medical University of Vienna AUSTRIA   This study was supported by an unrestricted research grant by ROCHE Austria, Silibinin was provided by ROTTAPHARM-MADAUS free of charge   AUTHOR SUMMARY   iv. silibinin has potent antiviral activity against HCV   This effect is dose dependent, and independent of peginterferon/ribavirin   iv. silibinin was well tolerated   oral administration of silymarin was ineffective   AUTHOR CONCLUSIONS   iv. silibinin may be useful for treatment of nonresponders to peginterferon/ribavirin   the optimal dose and duration of silibinin therapy remains to be studied   Studies of the pharmacokinetics of silibinin are mandatory   The mechanism of action is unknown   Silymarin   Silymarin is a potentially useful drug for treatment of liver diseases   -- Clinical studies not conclusive   --mode of action antioxidant/free radical scavenger antifibrotic Hepatoprotective (Amanita phalloides)   Study 1   Decrease of oxidative stress by high dose silibinin Ð improved efficacy of interferon?   Pedigreed nonresponders   Full dose peginterferon/RBV for at least 12 weeks   -- < 2log drop week 12   -- HCV-RNA pos.at week 24