Heparvit, 4-Methylumbelliferone

[konyha]

I have HCV, 1a and awaiting the results of my liver biopsy done on 12/11.

A friend suggested I take 4MU (4-Methylumbelliferone),  a commercially available dietary supplement by Biomonde marketed under the trade names Heparvit®, Heparmed®, and DetoxPro®. The Biomonde website is kind of hokey; despite that, I do not truly understand exactly how 4MU is supposed to work. Having said that, I have been taking 3 a day since 12/04 :)

The  supplement is also in a clinical study here in San Antonio:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00225537.

This site shows further studies:
http://www.mtmedical.org/hcv.php

I have yet to see info/opinions about it and I am curious what many of you think.
I have been reading this forum since September and value the input of ALL of you.
I thank every one of you for the thought, compassion and input you show to one another and to us scared "newcomers" when the reality of our illness forces us out of the woodwork..

[copyman]

many HCV patients travel several hours to see a good hepatologist. we are dealing with a life and death disease here and most want to be treated by the best. you are right about finding out more info here then doctor to patient type forums. you will get the most up to date info here that most doctors dont even have. best of luck

[konyha]

Oh, and I will call the doctor's office and simply ask for the stage and grade.  I didn't realise how annoyed I am until I read your post. I was unsure what to say when I called back; but, simply asking this seems reasonable. Thanks

[konyha]

I only found two doctors with the hepatologist designation here in San Antonio and zero in my heath plan. Further, I went through seven GI's before I found one willing to even see me (i.e., treat HCV).

Info related to the doctor I saw for the initial visit/labs and the liver biopsy a week later happens to be on the net and on this URL:
http://www.alamomedicalresearch.com/Home.html

Ironically, I have a January 14, 2008 visit with another doctor. He is somehow associated with the Health Science Center and involved in the studies for the 4MU I mentioned in my first post.  I scheduled this visit in September. I will have my liver biopsy results by then, so I may keep that appointment.

I occasionally read "Ask a Doctor" type forums and they seem to help a lot of folks. However, luckily, I have found most of what I need to know here so far.  

[copyman]

Just to clarify about HR, what i meant was he is indeed a doctor but can not really diagnose or prescribe here. only suggest which is such a great help to all of us. he is very well appreciated by me and i'm sure by others. you said something about starting a new post for the doctors and i was just telling you that this is not a doctor to patient forum like some of the others on medhelp.

As for the biopsy results, tell the nurse that all you want to know at this time is stage & grade if she will not give you the whole report. this is written clear as day on the report.

[konyha]

I will try to obtain the results again from the doctor's office. His clinical nurse is actually the person I spoke with. Worse, she promised to contact me the following Friday (after she spoke with the doctor). It sounds lame as I write, but I believed her at the time.

While I cannot speak for others, it is fairly apparent from HR's postings that he is not here in an advisement capacity.  I value his contribution greatly.

[copyman]

a real shame to have to sit on pins & needles waiting for the results. a good caring doctor will give you the results over the phone as soon as he gets them to put your mind at ease. then discuss more when you go for the appointment. my hepatolgist's nurse faxed me the results right away. with the hipa laws every doctor is different. you have every right to get that result as soon as it is done! you paid for it and it is your body! if you raised a big enough stink they would give it to you.

by the way there are no doctors here except HR and he is not here in that capacity.

[konyha]

Platelet count was 236 in September 2007 and 287 in December 2007.  AFP Tumor Marker was 4 (Interval: 0-6) in December as well. That serum level along with a few others have been explained here on the forum well enough for now.
Probably I should start another post for further questions since they will deviate from the topic heading. That post will likely address doctors since I cannot find a Hepatologist.

There is one Hepatologist I would have liked, but he did not accept my insurance and my carrier was uncooperative to subcontract with him as a provider.

I had a hard time finding the GI I am currently seeing. My follow-up live biopsy
visit is January 8, 2008. The office will not disclose the results over the telephone or fax.. .Grrrr

[Hepatitis Researcher]

methylumbelliferone is a phenolic compound that is proven effective in inhibiting Hyaluronic acid synthesis, thus considered as a potential means to inhibit the spread of metastatic cancers. It also has a stimulating effect on matrix metalloproteinases and might accelerate the breakdown of matrix molecules in the fibrotic network or reduce its formation.
It has been since long on my list of compounds to watch in the area of potential hepatoprotective/antifibrotic  substances but is has no meaningful research to show an effect on fibrogenesis and hepatic stellate cell transformation/activation.
Thus, while it might be of benefit , there is not enough research to support its current use based on the evidence available particularly in the light of all the other compounds that have a somewhat better basis of potential effectiveness and that are already quite numerous and beyond or close to the limit of what can be practically used by a liver patient.

[copyman]

what are your platelets on the blood test? this is probably one of the most important tests. have you seen a hepatologist to get their opinion / physical exam, etc? a good liver specialist can tell by blood test, exam, etc how someones biopsy will be. the INR test is suppose to be low, the reason that it is flagged "low" is just in case you are on blood thinners. you want this test to show that your blood is clotting fast, if slow it means you could have more liver damage. i know waiting for the biopsy result is very stressful but i think your result will be good from what you posted here. I think supplements can help some but what really helps the liver is that you stopped drinking for all those years.  It comes a time when having HCV makes you feel different in many ways, this after years of not having any symptoms. it is a sneaky disease this way. i think your liver bx will be fine, just my gut feeling. happy new year

[konyha]

copyman, thank you for writing. I am honoured. I wanted to include my labs and background but was so nervous to write I thought it better to simply post. I regret not seeing many posts from HR lately and wonder if I have missed anything by not reading between the lines. Anyhoo, I have been taking the supplement since 12/04/2007. My viral load was 210,000 in September of 2007 and 983,710 on December 4, 2007.
AST   42
ALT   60
WBC   8.0
RBC 4.49
HGB   14.6

I have been starting to feel physically awful in unfamiliar and unusual ways for some time. I have self treated pretty much even though I have fairly decent health insurance.
My Iron and TIBC levels are all within normal range; however, Serum Ferritin was 40 (LabCorp reference 10 - 291). I mention this because it may explain the major, frightening hair loss I have had.  They are "vellus hairs" (easily mistaken for minaturized hair seen in androgenic alopecia). Further, I switched from Psyillium to Lactulose several months ago and have reduced  protein intake...somewhat.
Prothombin Time, INR was 1.0, but I wasn't really sure if that was influenced by some of the supplements I take: IP-6, Inosine, Quercetin, R-ALA, etc..).
My ALT & AST levels were within normal range after I quite drinking. I had 10 years, then "slipped" and now I have been sober 8 years. Even so, I have a sinking feeling about my liver biopsy.

[copyman]

hi, i'm sure you have seen a forum member by the name of hepatitisresearcher here. perhaps he will comment on this. i have never seen him write about this and he is very up to date on this kind of thing. i would really like to know more about it. plus hoping it helped your biopsy show little damage. how has you blood work been since 2004? i.e. viral load, ast,alt,wbc,hgb,etc