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Efficacy of a herbal medicine "sho-saiko-to" on the improvement of impaired cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.
Yamashiki M, Kosaka Y, Nishimura A, Takase K, Ichida F.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, Japan.
Peripheral blood samples were collected from normal subjects and chronic viral hepatitis patients, and the in vitro capability of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells to produce various cytokine (interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, interferon-gamma, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) were analyzed by adding pokeweed mitogen. We then investigated the effects of a herbal medicine "Sho-saiko-to" on the levels of cytokine production. The production levels of the 4 cytokines were significantly lower in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the patients (Patient Group) than in those of normal subjects (Control Group). The addition of Sho-saiko-to to the Patient Group resulted in improved productions of those cytokines, as well as an remarkable improvement of interleukin-1 beta production. The results demonstrated that Sho-saiko-to acts to improve such immunological abnormalities as decreased cytokine productions. Administration of Sho-saiko-to to chronic viral hepatitis patients is also expected to have immunological benefits.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1340507
Sho-saiko-to and SST are not recommended for patients who are both diagnosed with cirrhosis and have a platelet count below 100,000. In these cases, careful consideration by, and close supervision of, a physician to proceed with Sho-saiko-to or SST is strongly advised.
Alternative Medications May Help Prevent or Delay Onset of Liver Scar Tissue in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis
Jacquelyn J. Maher, MD, from the University of California in San Francisco presented exciting data regarding the efficacy of herbal products and nutritional supplements in preventing or delaying the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis and cirrhosis) in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis. Dr Maher spoke at the postgraduate course in Dallas held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD).
Now that the basic process of how the liver lays down scar tissue is known, research can be done to determine if different compounds can stop the liver from developing scar tissue. Vitamin E supplements were found to be effective in diminishing the amount of liver scar tissue that developed in rats exposed to a poison that causes cirrhosis. Silymarin, which is the active component of milk thistle was studied in 1989 in patients with liver cirrhosis secondary to alcohol and found to be beneficial.
The Japanese compound Sho-saiko-to also known as TJ-9, which is a mixture of different herbal products, has been found to reduce scar tissue in rats with cirrhosis by 25%. In addition, it appears to have anti-tumor effects, decreasing the risk of cancer. As the knowledge about liver injury increases, we will likely find more traditional and alternative medical products that may prevent or improve cirrhosis in patients with chronic liver disease.
Reference: Jorge Herrera, MD
50th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)
http://4-sho-saiko-to.com/ralph_message.htm