1. Colchicine in chronic hepatitis B: a pilot study.
- Author
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Floreani A, Lobello S, Brunetto M, Aneloni V, and Chiaramonte M
- Subjects
- Administration, Oral, Adult, Aged, DNA, Viral isolation & purification, Female, Hepatitis B virus genetics, Hepatitis B virus isolation & purification, Hepatitis B, Chronic enzymology, Humans, Liver Function Tests, Male, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Colchicine therapeutic use, DNA, Viral drug effects, Gout Suppressants therapeutic use, Hepatitis B virus drug effects, Hepatitis B, Chronic drug therapy
- Abstract
Rationale: Because of its antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects, colchicine has been proposed as a treatment for liver disease. Early in vitro studies have demonstrated that colchicine blocks mitosis in the metaphase and inhibits DNA synthesis., Aim: A pilot study of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related/HBV-DNA+ve chronic liver disease., Patients: Nine biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis patients (three with cirrhosis) entered the study. Two of them were HBeAg+ve and seven were antiHBe+. All patients were HBV-DNA+ve/antiHBc IgM+ve (index values of anti-HBc IgM ranged from 0.370 to 1.200). All of them had a major contraindication to interferon therapy or refused antiviral treatment. The known persistence of positive HBsAg ranged from 2 to 21 years., Methods: After informed consent, the patients received 1 mg colchicine a day orally for 5 days-a-week over 6 months. Testing for liver enzymes and viral markers was performed at the baseline and after 3 and 6 months., Results: None of the patients experienced side-effects during the treatment. The two HBeAg+ve patients seroconverted to anti-HBe with a normalization of AST/ALT during therapy. Among the seven antiHBe+ve patients, four had a complete normalization of transaminases (one patient cleared the HBsAg with seroconversion to anti-HBs). Six of the nine patients were HBV-DNA-ve at the end of therapy and were still negative after 12 months of follow-up., Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that colchicine might have an antiviral activity in HBV-DNA+ve chronic liver disease, and it could be regarded as an alternative therapy to interferon.
- Published
- 1998
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