Evaluating Silymarin for Chronic Hepatitis C

August 17, 2006 updated by: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
To investigate the effect of silymarin, derived from the milk thistle plant, Silybum marianum, in preventing and reversing the complications of chronic infection with hepatitis C virus and/or clearing hepatitis C infections.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The objective of this exploratory project is to assess the feasibility of investigating the effect of silymarin, derived from the milk thistle plant, Silybum marianum, in preventing and reversing the complications of chronic infection with HCV and/or clearing HCV infections, thereby generating preliminary results to serve as the basis of a more definitive study. Allopathic therapeutic interventions have not proved promising, particularly with the genotype most commonly encountered in Egypt and they are prohibitively expensive in the developing world. Egypt has the highest prevalence of HCV infection in the world, averaging 15-25% in rural communities. There are limited rigorous assessments of the dietary supplement milk thistle, but there is promise of salutary effect. The specific aims are to evaluate whether silymarin, the extract of milk thistle, can: (1) improves hepatic morbidity in subjects with chronic HCV hepatitis and/or cirrhosis; (2) prevent progression of liver disease in participants who have chronic HCV infections but who have normal liver enzyme levels; (3) help clear HCV infections; and (4) improves these participants' quality of life. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive silymarin or a vitamin supplement (below antioxidant levels). Participants will be recruited from a cohort of HCV-infected individuals currently enrolled in a large observational study in Egypt. Participants will receive the supplements daily for 18 months, with measures obtained every six months. Measures to be assessed will include: retention in the study, compliance with study assignment, self-described symptoms, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, serum collagen markers, abdominal ultrasound, viral load and clearance, and quality of life (SF36 survey). It is hypothesized that silymarin will not lead to clearance of HCV infections but can prevent progression of liver disease in participants with chronic HCV hepatitis and, in some cases, reverse hepatic lesions that are already present, as well as improving the quality of life in individuals who use this dietary supplement. This exploratory project is anticipated to result in successful initiation of larger and more definitive studies of the effect of milk thistle on HCV infection. Evidence of beneficial effect of an inexpensive and benign herbal dietary supplement would have great impact on the large global population suffering from chronic HCV infection.

Study Type

Interventional

Phase

  • Phase 2

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Masking: Double

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Collaborators

Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

July 1, 2000

Study Completion

June 1, 2002

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 30, 2002

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 30, 2002

First Posted (Estimate)

January 31, 2002

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

August 18, 2006

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 17, 2006

Last Verified

July 1, 2006

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • R21AT000277-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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