Antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of Viusid in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Eduardo Vilar Gomez, Yadina Martinez Perez, Hector Vega Sanchez, Gretel Riveron Forment, Enrique Arus Soler, Luis Calzadilla Bertot, Ali Yasells Garcia, Maria del Rosario Abreu Vazquez, Licet Gonzalez Fabian, Eduardo Vilar Gomez, Yadina Martinez Perez, Hector Vega Sanchez, Gretel Riveron Forment, Enrique Arus Soler, Luis Calzadilla Bertot, Ali Yasells Garcia, Maria del Rosario Abreu Vazquez, Licet Gonzalez Fabian
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the efficacy of Viusid, a nutritional supplement, as an antioxidant and an immunomodulator in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Methods: Sixty patients with chronic hepatitis C who were non-responders to standard antiviral treatment were randomly assigned to receive Viusid (3 sachets daily, n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 24 wk. The primary outcome was the change in serum malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenals (lipid peroxidation products). Secondary outcomes were changes in serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10).
Results: Statistically significant reductions in serum 4-hydroxyalkenals and malondialdehyde levels were observed in both groups in comparison with pretreatment values, but the patients who received Viusid showed a more marked reduction as compared with the control group (P = 0.001). TNF-alpha levels significantly increased from 6.9 to 16.2 pg/mL (P < 0.01) in the patients who received placebo in comparison with almost unchanged levels, from 6.6 to 7.1 pg/mL (P = 0.26), in the patients treated with Viusid (P = 0.001). In addition, IL-10 levels were markedly increased in the patients treated with Viusid (from 2.6 to 8.3 pg/mL, P = 0.04) in contrast to the patients assigned to placebo (from 2.8 to 4.1 pg/mL, P = 0.09) (P = 0.01). Likewise, the administration of Viusid markedly increased mean IFN-gamma levels from 1.92 to 2.89 pg/mL (P < 0.001) in comparison with a reduction in mean levels from 1.80 to 1.68 pg/mL (P = 0.70) in the placebo group (P < 0.0001). Viusid administration was well tolerated.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that treatment with Viusid leads to a notable improvement of oxidative stress and immunological parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
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Source: PubMed