Shosaikoto & Other CAM Therapies?

[eureka254]

To all:

Lots of information and discussion about allopathic therapies, and I'm curious...

Does anyone here have any experience with the Japanese herbal medicine Shosaikoto?  Would be very interested to hear from anyone who has taken it (either in clinical trial or otherwise) or any general feedback/information.  I've seen some discussion about Milk Thistle (silymarin) here too, and would like to know if anyone has used it and actually seen a decrease in VL concurrent with use.

Also, ANY one out there who has had tx without any (noticeable) side effects?

[robeire]

Here are some articles on herbs in relation to liver disease

Schizandra and Its Component Schizandrin

Schizandrin, a lignan, is an active component of schizandra, the fruit from Schizandra sinensis. Studies conducted in the 1970's in China revealed that schizandra and its component schizandrin could strongly lower ALT and AP in animal models of hepatitis and in human patients. However, it tended to have the problem that when administration of the compound ceased, there was a rebound in these enzyme levels. Screening of various analogues led to the production of a new drug for hepatitis known as DDB (dimethyl 1-4, 4'-dimethoxy-5,6,5', 6'dimethylene dioxybiphenyl 1-2, 2'-dicarboxylate). This compound is strongly hepatoprotective, lowering ALS and AP, reducing alpha-fetal protein levels and bilirubin, and reducing liver lesions, as indicated by biopsy.

DDB, as a new drug, has undergone numerous trials in China, but is not an accepted drug in the West. Schizandra extract has the advantage of being a safe food product of China that is also widely used in the U.S. as an energy tonic and immune enhancing agent. In China, it is used in the treatment of many ailments, including asthma, poor memory, severe fatigue, enteritis, and diabetes, as well as for viral hepatitis. It enhances adrenal cortical function. In clinical tests of anicteric infective hepatitis, just 3 grams per day of powdered schizandra fruit for one to three months led to a clinical cure in 65% of cases. Higher doses, up to 15 grams per day, have been used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis. It has been reported that schizandra, like its isolated lignans, has a quick action and high rate of effectiveness for reducing plasma liver enzyme levels, but that relapse occurs relatively easily. It has been suggested that schizandra be used with other herbs to increase the therapeutic effect and prevent relapse.
Salvia and Its Components the Tanshinones

Salvia is perhaps the most frequently used herb in the modern practice of Chinese herbal medicine. Salvia has been known to Chinese doctors for centuries, but had been used in only a few applications, while today it is applied in the treatment of a wide range of diseases and symptoms. Salvia has a complex chemistry, and as a result, the crude herb extract is often used rather than an isolated component. The main active constituents are the tanshinones, a type of naphthaquinone. Salvia is used in China as a health food product; regular ingestion is thought to prevent cardiovascular diseases and other problems of aging.

Salvia plays two major roles in the treatment of liver disease. First, it has been learned that in cases of severe or chronic liver disease, there are alterations in microcirculation (capillary bed circulation) that appear to be part of the disease process. Patients treated with salvia who show clinical improvements also show normalization of the microcirculation. Second, salvia inhibits fibrinogen and aids in the resorption of fibrous plaques in the liver. It is thus widely used in the treatment of liver cirrhosis. Salvia is provided as a single herb or in complex formulas in the treatment of both acute and chronic hepatitis. As a single herb, it is given intravenously to quickly improve the condition of patients suffering from liver or kidney diseases. Usual oral dosages of salvia for treating severe diseases are 15-20 grams in decoction.
Hu-Chang and Its Anthraquinone Components

Hu-chang (Polygonum cuspidatum) refers to one of the many species of Polygonum used by Chinese doctors. It contains anthraquinones as main active components, as well as resveratrol, a stilbene. The herb, used alone, or in combination with other herbs, has been reported to cure both acute and chronic hepatitis, though it has been suggested to have greater impact on acute hepatitis. Hu-chang is one of the broad-spectrum antiviral agents under investigation in China and Japan. Hu-chang prevents lipid peroxidation, and thus prevents hepatic degeneration; it also promotes liver cell regeneration through RNA synthesis. The herb has been used in China to rescue patients with severe viral hepatitis who do not seem to recover when given standard Western therapies. In addition, hu-chang influences microcirculation in a manner similar to salvia.
Curcuma and Its Essential Oil Components

Curcuma (yujin) refers to one of three major species of curcuma used in Chinese medicine, the other two are turmeric (huangjiang) and zedoaria (ezhu). It contains a complex essential oil that regulates blood lipids and treats infectious hepatitis. In a study of acute and chronic hepatitis involving 33 patients, all but one responded to the daily ingestion of a powder of curcuma (5 grams each time, three times daily), with 2/3 of the patients having subjective symptoms completely relieved. Curcuma stimulates bile secretion. Curcumin, a bright yellow complex ketone found in both turmeric and curcuma, is currently under investigation as an anti-HIV agent; it appears to block a long terminal repeat (LTR) during reproduction of the virus. This action may apply to other viruses and to preventing activation of cancer genes. Curcumin is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
Ligustrum and Its Component Oleanolic Acid

Ligustrum refers to the seed of Ligustrum lucidum. It is rich in oleanolic acid, a compound that appears to be effective in treatment of liver diseases, acting mainly as a liver-protective agent. It is reported to be efficacious in treating both acute and chronic hepatitis, with a cure rate of 70% for acute hepatitis and it was markedly effective in treating 44% of cases of chronic hepatitis. Ligustrum has been identified as one of the herbs that strongly enhances immune responses, reversing leukopenia from cancer therapeutic agents. Ligustrum is used as a health food in the U.S. to enhance immune functions.

[robeire]

references from article above- this illustrates why it so important to be treated by someone who is expert-such as Dr Zhang-Doc Misha Cohen- John Tindall

EFERENCES

   1. Chen Liping, et al., The relationship between the blood stasis of hepatitis C and the serum HA and HPC III and the effect of herbal medicine, Tribune on Traditional Chinese Medicine 1995; (1): 30.
   2. Zhenghua Le and Xier Tang, Jiedu Huoxie Tang in treating hepatitis C-18 cases, translation of unpublished clinic report.
   3. You Songxin, et al., A clinical study Bing Gan Ling Oral Liquid for treatment of hepatitis C, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1998; 18(3): 209-214.
   4. Tall J, personal communication, April 2000.
   5. Grubb G, personal communication, March 2000.
   6. Stern E, Two cases of hepatitis C treated with herbs and supplements, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 1997; 3(1): 77-82.
   7. Batey RG et al., Preliminary report of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a Chinese herbal medicine preparation CH-100, in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; 1998; 13(3): 244-7.
   8. van Rossum TG, et al., Intravenous glycyrrhizin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase I/II trial, Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 1999, 14(11):1093-1099.
   9. Beyendorff U, personal communication, May 2000.
  10. Nepstead G, personal communication, March 1995.
  11. Tsukiyama K, et al., A case of pneumonitis due to sho-saiko-to, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 1989; 27(12): 1556-1561.
  12. Takada N, et al., A case of sho-saiko-to induced pneumonitis, diagnosed by lymphocyte stimulation test using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 1993; 31(9): 1163-1169.
  13. Okanoue T, et al., Side effects of high-dose interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C, Journal of Hepatology 1996; 25(3): 283-291.
  14. Hoffman RM, et al., Sarcoidosis associated with interferon-alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis C, Journal of Hepatology 1998; 28(6): 1058-1063.
  15. Nakagawa A, et al., Five cases of drug-induced pneumonitis due to sho-saiko-to or interferon alpha or both, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 1995; 33 (12): 1361-1366.
  16. Murakami K, et al., A possible mechanism of interstitial pneumonia during interferon therapy with sho-saiko-to, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 1995; 33 (4): 389-394.
  17. Ishizaki T, et al., Pneumonitis during interferon and/or herbal drug therapy in patients with chronic active hepatitis, European Respiration Journal 1996; 9(12): 2691-2696.
  18. Tojima H, et al., Two cases of pneumonia caused by sho-saiko-to, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 1996; 34(8): 904-910.
  19. Sato A, Pneumonitis induced by the herbal medicine sho-saiko-to in Japan, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 1989; 35(4): 391-395.
  20. Katou K and Mori K, Autoimmune hepatitis with drug-induced pneumonia due to sho-saiko-to, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 1999; 37(8): 641-646.
  21. Nishimori F, et al., Pneumonitis induced by the drug ougon, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 1999; 37(5): 396-400.
  22. Gordon SC, Extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C, Digestive Diseases 1996; 14(3): 157-168.
  23. Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare, 1999 Drug and Medical Device Safety Information, Volume 158.
  24. Hizawa N, et al., A patient with chronic hepatitic C who simultaneously developed interstitial pneumonia, hemolytic anemia, and cholestatic liver dysfunction after alpha-interferon administration, Internal Medicine 1994; 33(6): 337-341.
  25. Ohtake N, et al., Modulation of lung local immune responses by oral administration of a herbal medicine sho-saiko-to, International Journal of Immunopharmacology 2000; 22(6): 419-430.
  26. Takahashi M, et al., The pharmacokinetics of the glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetic acid after intravenous administration of glycyrrhizin for the patients with chronic liver disease caused by type C hepatitis virus, Nippon Shokakibyo Gakkai Zasshi 1995; 92(12): 1929-1936.
  27. Tsubota A, et al., Combined ursodeoxycholic acid and glycyrrhizin therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus infection: a randomized controlled trial in 170 patients, European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 1999; 1077-1083.
  28. Schalm SW, et al., New treatment strategies in non-responder patients with chronic hepatitis C, Journal of Hepatology 1999; 31(supplement 1): 184-148.
  29. Abe Y, et al., Effectiveness of interferon-glycyrrhizin combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C, Nippon Rinsho 1994; 52(7): 1817-1822.
  30. Clerci C, et al., Interferon plus ursodeoxycholic acid versus interferon in the treatment of chronic C viral hepatitis, Minerva Medicine 1997; 88(5): 219-225.
  31. Senturk H, et al., Long-term efficacy of interferon-alpha and ursodeoxycholic acid in treatment of chronic type C hepatitis, Digestive Disease Science 1997; 42(7): 1438-1444.
  32. Lirussi F, et al., Long-term treatment of chronic hepatitis C with ursodeoxycholic acid: influence of HCV genotypes and severity of liver disease, Liver 1999; 19(5): 381-388.
  33. Flora K, et al., Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) for the therapy of liver disease, American Journal of Gastroenterology 1998; 93(2): 139-143.
  34. Berkson BM, A conservative triple antioxidant approach to the treatment of hepatitis C, Medical Clinic, 1999; 94 Supplement 3: 84-89.
  35. Garcia-Monzon C, et al., Intrahepatic accumulation of nitrotyrosine in chronic viral hepatitis is associated with histological seveerity of liver disease, Journal of Hepatology, 2000; 32(2): 331-338.
  36. Soliman KF and Mazzio EA, In vitro attenuation of nitric oxide production in C6 astrocyte cell culture by various dietary compounds, Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 1998; 218(4): 390-397.
  37. Sharara AI, et al., Inteferon alpha activation of human blood mononuclear cells in vitro and in vivo for nitric oxide synthetase type 2 mRNA and protein expression, Journal of Experimental Medicine 1997; 186(9):

[robeire]

Additional case reports appeared in the literature in subsequent years, such as a report of pneumonitis in a 66-year-old man who had been taking SST for just 20 days (12). The doctors found an elevated level of lymphocytes and eosinophils in the lung fluid, indicating an immunological type of response. The authors stated that 13 cases of Chinese-herb-induced pneumonitis had appeared in the literature up to that time (1993).

Interstitial pneumonia is also a side effect of interferon therapy (13). Interferon is known to cause a number of pulmonary disorders in susceptible patients, including sarcoidosis, an immune-based disorder (14). In 1995, the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Tokyo General Hospital reported five cases of pneumonitis that was attributed to "sho-saiko-to or interferon-alpha or both" during treatment of hepatitis C (15). One of the patients took interferon-alpha alone (no SST), two patients took SST alone (no interferon), and one patient took both. Lymphocyte stimulation tests were conducted to reveal that there was sensitivity to both SST and interferon. According to an analysis done by the authors, the incidence of pneumonitis in patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis was 0.5% for alpha interferon and 0.7% for sho-saiko-to, thus indicating a nearly identical risk of this side effect; however, they reported that the risk rose to 4.0% in those given both, suggesting that there might be a synergistic action.

A possible explanation for the problem with the herb formula and interferon was proposed by members of the Kumamoto University Medical School (16). They stated that it is well known that activated neutrophils are important mediators of pulmonary fibrosis, and that these neutrophils damage lung tissue when activated by cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or interleukin-1 (IL-1). The mechanism by which a synergistic action could be produced by SST and interferon was revealed by their laboratory test results: interferon causes neutrophils to accumulate in the lungs and SST increases the production of TNF. In general practice SST may not cause any lung damage, but it increases the effect of either interferon treatment or the immunological consequences of a predisposing disease condition in relation to neutrophilic damage of the lungs. The cascade of events may be triggered if some antigen is present.

A treatment for the pneumonitis was described in a report from the Fukui Medical School (17). They described four cases of acute pneumonitis with symptoms of fever, dry cough, dyspnea, hypoxemia, and diffuse infiltrates in chest scans. The patients with the disorder had taken either interferon, SST, or both. A lymphocyte stimulation test in two patients showed one responded to interferon and the other to SST. Oral prednisolone therapy was successful in all four cases, and there were no recurrences during a follow-up of 1-3 years. The authors concluded that the mechanism of action by which interferon and SST induced pneumonitis was an allergic-immunological mechanism and not a toxicity problem. The level of the cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2) in peripheral blood was reported to be a marker of the pneumonitis severity. One of the reported antiviral actions of glycyrrhizin in licorice, which is used as a single active ingredient in the treatment of viral hepatitis and which is an ingredient of SST, is stimulation of IL-2 production.

[robeire]

5. HERB-DRUG INTERACTIONS

In 1999, several informal Chinese medicine publications in the U.S. relayed a report from Japan claiming adverse reactions, even deaths, from combining a traditional Chinese herb formula with interferon therapy for hepatitis C. A sample newsletter report ITM received from a practitioner read as follows:
Combining Xiao Chai Hu Tang with Interferon Proves Fatal

The CAAOM has recently heard from several different Japanese sources that over sixteen people have died in Japan from taking the herbal formula Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum) with interferon for the treatment of hepatitis. According to Dr. Hirohisa Oda, a licensed pharmacist with a doctorate of Medical Science from Japan and president of the Meiji College of Oriental Medicine [California], all product containers of Xiao Chai Hu Tang are labeled [in Japan] with a warning that this formula should not be taken with interferon. Japanese researchers suspect the culprit may be a saiko-saponin chemical found in Chai Hu (bupleurum). Please don't give your patients this formula when they are taking interferon.

The Oriental Healing Arts Institute (Long Beach, California) was requested by ITM to try and find an original Japanese article and provide a partial translation to English. In addition, an extensive MedLine (National Library of Medicine) search was performed that yielded most of the information provided below, and a Japanese web site was accessed (www.nihs.go.jp/dig/infodrug) thanks to a notice from an acupuncturist (9). The adverse effect attributed to the herb formula was interstitial pneumonia, also called pneumonitis; it manifests as an acute disorder impairing breathing and oxygenation of the blood, sometimes with high fever.

The traditional formula in question is Minor Bupleurum Combination (Xiao Chaihu Tang; in Japanese: sho-saiko-to; SST), comprised of bupleurum, scute, pinellia, ginger, ginseng, jujube, and licorice. This formula is perhaps the most commonly-used herbal prescription in Japan (and extensively used in China). It is frequently employed in the treatment of liver disorders, including both the traditional patterns of liver disharmony and the specific liver diseases as described in modern medical terminology, including viral hepatitis. Numerous reports from Japan during the 1970's and 1980's mentioned use of this prescription for hepatitis, used mainly for hepatitis B, the most common form of the disease. It was then adopted for use in treating hepatitis C.

In 1989, the first case report of interstitial pneumonitis attributed to use of SST was published (11). The patient, a 71-year-old woman, agreed to a challenge test, that is, repeating exposure to the formula. On two trials with just 2.5 grams of the extract granules (usual daily dosage for this preparation is 7.5 grams, taken in three divided doses of 2.5 grams each), she developed the clear signs of pneumonitis (high fever, dyspnea, X-ray evidence of infiltrative shadows in the lungs). The reaction to the formula was described as pulmonary hypersensitivity, which seems appropriate given the dramatic response to such a low dosage.

Additional case reports appeared in the literature in subsequent years, such as a report of pneumonitis in a 66-year-old man who had been taking SST for just 20 days (12). The doctors found an elevated level of lymphocytes and eosinophils in the lung fluid, indicating an immunological type of response. The authors stated that 13 cases of Chinese-herb-induced pneumonitis had appeared in the literature up to that time (1993).

Interstitial pneumonia is also a side effect of interferon therapy (13). Interferon is known to cause a number of pulmonary disorders in susceptible patients, including sarcoidosis, an immune-based disorder (14). In 1995, the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Tokyo General Hospital reported five cases of pneumonitis that was attributed to "sho-saiko-to or interferon-alpha or both" during treatment of hepatitis C (15). One of the patients took interferon-alpha alone (no SST), two patients took SST alone (no interferon), and one patient took both. Lymphocyte stimulation tests were conducted to reveal that there was sensitivity to both SST and interferon. According to an analysis done by the authors, the incidence of pneumonitis in patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis was 0.5% for alpha interferon and 0.7% for sho-saiko-to, thus indicating a nearly identical risk of this side effect; however, they reported that the risk rose to 4.0% in those given both, suggesting that there might be a synergistic action.

A possible explanation for the problem with the herb formula and interferon was proposed by members of the Kumamoto University Medical School (16). They stated that it is well known that activated neutrophils are important mediators of pulmonary fibrosis, and that these neutrophils damage lung tissue when activated by cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or interleukin-1 (IL-1). The mechanism by which a synergistic action could be produced by SST and interferon was revealed by their laboratory test results: interferon causes neutrophils to accumulate in the lungs and SST increases the production of TNF. In general practice SST may not cause any lung damage, but it increases the effect of either interferon treatment or the immunological consequences of a predisposing disease condition in relation to neutrophilic damage of the lungs. The cascade of events may be triggered if some antigen is present.

A treatment for the pneumonitis was described in a report from the Fukui Medical School (17). They described four cases of acute pneumonitis with symptoms of fever, dry cough, dyspnea, hypoxemia, and diffuse infiltrates in chest scans. The patients with the disorder had taken either interferon, SST, or both. A lymphocyte stimulation test in two patients showed one responded to interferon and the other to SST. Oral prednisolone therapy was successful in all four cases, and there were no recurrences during a follow-up of 1-3 years. The authors concluded that the mechanism of action by which interferon and SST induced pneumonitis was an allergic-immunological mechanism and not a toxicity problem. The level of the cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2) in peripheral blood was reported to be a marker of the pneumonitis severity. One of the reported antiviral actions of glycyrrhizin in licorice, which is used as a single active ingredient in the treatment of viral hepatitis and which is an ingredient of SST, is stimulation of IL-2 production

[robeire]

5. HERB-DRUG INTERACTIONS

In 1999, several informal Chinese medicine publications in the U.S. relayed a report from Japan claiming adverse reactions, even deaths, from combining a traditional Chinese herb formula with interferon therapy for hepatitis C. A sample newsletter report ITM received from a practitioner read as follows:
Combining Xiao Chai Hu Tang with Interferon Proves Fatal

The CAAOM has recently heard from several different Japanese sources that over sixteen people have died in Japan from taking the herbal formula Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum) with interferon for the treatment of hepatitis. According to Dr. Hirohisa Oda, a licensed pharmacist with a doctorate of Medical Science from Japan and president of the Meiji College of Oriental Medicine [California], all product containers of Xiao Chai Hu Tang are labeled [in Japan] with a warning that this formula should not be taken with interferon. Japanese researchers suspect the culprit may be a saiko-saponin chemical found in Chai Hu (bupleurum). Please don't give your patients this formula when they are taking interferon.

The Oriental Healing Arts Institute (Long Beach, California) was requested by ITM to try and find an original Japanese article and provide a partial translation to English. In addition, an extensive MedLine (National Library of Medicine) search was performed that yielded most of the information provided below, and a Japanese web site was accessed (www.nihs.go.jp/dig/infodrug) thanks to a notice from an acupuncturist (9). The adverse effect attributed to the herb formula was interstitial pneumonia, also called pneumonitis; it manifests as an acute disorder impairing breathing and oxygenation of the blood, sometimes with high fever.

The traditional formula in question is Minor Bupleurum Combination (Xiao Chaihu Tang; in Japanese: sho-saiko-to; SST), comprised of bupleurum, scute, pinellia, ginger, ginseng, jujube, and licorice. This formula is perhaps the most commonly-used herbal prescription in Japan (and extensively used in China). It is frequently employed in the treatment of liver disorders, including both the traditional patterns of liver disharmony and the specific liver diseases as described in modern medical terminology, including viral hepatitis. Numerous reports from Japan during the 1970's and 1980's mentioned use of this prescription for hepatitis, used mainly for hepatitis B, the most common form of the disease. It was then adopted for use in treating hepatitis C.

In 1989, the first case report of interstitial pneumonitis attributed to use of SST was published (11). The patient, a 71-year-old woman, agreed to a challenge test, that is, repeating exposure to the formula. On two trials with just 2.5 grams of the extract granules (usual daily dosage for this preparation is 7.5 grams, taken in three divided doses of 2.5 grams each), she developed the clear signs of pneumonitis (high fever, dyspnea, X-ray evidence of infiltrative shadows in the lungs). The reaction to the formula was described as pulmonary hypersensitivity, which seems appropriate given the dramatic response to such a low dosage.

[merryBe]

if you are referencing the study below, I'd suggest you check out the above links and in particular PPC and Curcumin as they relate to LDL.

I'm not a scientist, but the study on Cam seems highly inconclusive. Do you have the complete study showing all the stats. etc?

Effects of Shosaikoto (kampo medicine) on lipid metabolism in macrophages.

Y Nagatsu, M Inoue, Y Ogihara
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya Cit


We investigated effects of Shosaikoto treatment on cholesterol metabolism in macrophages. Although macrophages, harvested from mice treated with Shosaikoto, took up a small amount of control low density lipoprotein (LDL) (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBA-RS) value was 0.27 pmol/mg of protein) as control macrophages, they took up more LDL modified with CuSO4 (TBA-RS value was 6.12 pmol/mg of protein) than control macrophages. Degradation of both control LDL and oxidized LDL was enhanced in Shosaikoto treated macrophages. In the presence of control LDL or in the absence of LDL, incorporation of [3H]oleic acid into chlesteryl oleate was significantly reduced in Shosaikoto treated macrophages. This suggests that acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity in macrophages was partly inhibited by Shosaikoto treatment. On the other hand, in the present of oxidized LDL, cholesteryl ester accumulated in Shosaikoto treated macrophages as much as in controls. However, cholesteryl oleate efflux from macrophages in the presence of high density lipoprotein (HDL) was enhanced in Shosaikoto treated macrophages. These result indicate that Shosaikoto facilitates oxidized LDL catabolism in macrophages, resulting in the augmentation of oxidized LDL uptake and the elimination of cholesterol from macrophages by HDL. These Shosaikoto effects may prevent foam cell formation and the progression of atherosclerotic lesions.

[merryBe]

I will compliment the Japanese in that they are now taking the science they learned from us and putting their old world remedies to the test.

there are some things showing promise, but I want to see the studies and the test tube/in vivo proof before spending......(already up to $200 on just the ones showing promise, not the ones not showing it.

If you to this link, you will see lots of discussion in here on anti-fibrotics.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/346752

go up to top of this page.....right side and click on Health Pages for lots more help.

[robeire]

Hi there- I think that a commonly held/mistaken belief is that one combination of herbs such as the formula SSK would fit all- in my own experience and I have alot with chinese traditional medicine(20 yrs).
Some people might be affected by the virus more on the energy level(qi) so herbs would be more for the spleen stomach -  while others it might be more on the yin level(skin probs-body fluids beeing cooked by the virus) so herbs of a yin building nature would be used as well as cherbs with cooling properties to put the fire out so to speak)
So that means when one goes to see a reputable TCM doctor he/she would do a full diagnosis-skincolor,tongue color etc- mood-sleep patterns-food cravings etc as well as taking your pulses on both hands (to identify the state of the major internal organs)
as we all know there are alot of variables due to genotype-duration of infection-lifestyle/diet that all contribute to different factors- so hence the importance of an individual diagnosis and a taylor made prescription of herbs (obviously included would be strong anti viral herbs ,like oldenlandia/hu zhang/isatis/patiniae/paris polyphlla etc etc)
ultimately whether you take herbs or not-one has to make life changes ifone wishes to have some degree of quality of life!!
Regards from Rob in ireland

[eureka254]

CS:
I'm beginning to realize that the fear of treatment is compounded by the fear of it not working... ty for sharing.

medic:
Do you know if there are contraindications for SST?  I had heard that it might not be good for people w/high blood pressure.  I'm having such a hard time finding any health professionals even willing to discuss SST, milk thistle, etc...

[medicmommy]

Hello!
I took SST for a 3 month trial in prep before tx...I found I felt way better, had good energy, stabilized my liver enzymes and it kept my viral load down (in the 152,000 range)..I was also doing milk thistle and soya lecithin granules with it..I believe it is a great option if you decide to wait to tx, or if you already have and are a nonresponder...A plus, I didn't get one virus (despite the fact of being surrounded by them at work and home) while on it...I like to think it did some liver repair as well, but that would be difficult to measure without invasive testing...The SST will do your body good, but it will not get rid of the hep c...Also, I did one IV dose of elemental Germanium, under the care of my Naturopath, Thomas Griffith of Olympia, WA...My viral load dropped to 16,000 (drawn 5 days after the dose..) It is very important you know this was Elemental Germanium...Not germanium diazoxide which has renal toxicity...

[CockSparrow]

ANY one out there who has had tx without any (noticeable) side effects?

Yes I actually had very few sides.
But the main side effect i didnt have was SVR.
CS