Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research最新文献

{"title":"Identification of Ferroptosis -Related Genes in MAFLD/MASH and HQHF Validation.","authors":"Sutong Liu, Lihui Zhang, Junjiao Xu, Qing Zhao, Dongfang Shang, Xiaoyan Liu, Qiang Zhang, Minghao Liu, Wenxia Zhao","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S509778","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S509778","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and its progressive form, Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis(MASH), are prevalent liver disorders with significant health implications. This study aims to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with MAFLD/MASH and explore their potential link to ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted differential expression analysis using two datasets from the GEO database. Genes related to ferroptosis were identified from the Genecards and FerrDb databases, and the intersection genes were obtained by intersecting the DEGs with ferroptosis-related genes. Functional enrichment was performed using GO and KEGG pathways. The clinical diagnostic value of the intersection genes was evaluated through ROC analysis. Finally, the research findings were validated using a high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model, observing the improvement in gene expression with HQHF treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We utilized two datasets, GSE89632 and GSE63067, from the GEO database, comprising 39 samples, including 24 healthy controls. Differential expression analysis revealed significant gene expression changes in NAFLD and NASH compared to healthy controls. These DEGs were visualized using volcano plots. Ferroptosis-related genes were identified from Genecards and FerrDb databases, resulting in 1937 unique genes. Venn analysis revealed intersections between DEGs and ferroptosis genes, highlighting potential regulatory roles. Functional enrichment analysis using GO and KEGG pathways indicated significant involvement in cellular components and signaling pathways, such as PPAR and HIF-1. The clinical diagnostic value of intersecting genes was assessed using ROC analysis, demonstrating promising diagnostic potential. In addition, a high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model was used to validate the research findings, showing that HQHF treatment can alleviate lipid deposition and inflammation in the liver. Transmission electron microscopy results indicated that HQHF prevented mitochondrial damage and significantly reduced the content of Fe2+ in the liver, alleviating iron deposition. We verified the reliable genes with diagnostic value through qPCR, and the results suggested that HQHF can lower the transcription levels of P4HA1, NR4A1, and EFEMP1, while increasing the transcription levels of ENo3, GRIA3, ME1, and FADS2, confirming our ROC results.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying MAFLD/MASH and suggests ferroptosis-related genes as potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Further research is warranted to explore these findings in clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"17 ","pages":"13-24"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12054640/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143989005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a Nomogram for Prognostic Prediction of Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma With HBV After TACE Combined Conversion Therapy.","authors":"Wei Xu, Xia Ding, Yan Xu, Yongchuang Zhang, Huaxiao Xu, Lin Guo, Lei Li","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S481334","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S481334","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Surgical resection (SR) following transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a promising option for large hepatocellular carcinoma (LHCC) with HBV, and identification of these patients at high-risk of prognosis may help individualized treatment.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To develop and validate pre- and postoperative prognostic nomograms integrating clinico-therapeutic-pathological features for predicting overall survival (OS) after TACE combined therapy.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Between May 2010 and October 2021, 255 consecutive patients with LHCC receiving conversion therapy of TACE combined with Lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitors were included from three tertiary-care hospitals. In the derivation cohort (<i>n</i>=201), the Cox regression analysis for developing nomograms for OS (time from initial TACE to death). In the testing cohort (<i>n</i> = 54), two models' performance was compared with five major staging systems.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The preoperative nomogram included alpha-fetoprotein (AFP, HR: 0.486; 95% CI: 0.266-0.886; <i>P</i> = 0.019) and albumin- bilirubin (ALBI) grade (HR: 0.323; 95% CI: 0.181-0.578; <i>P</i> < 0.001) and the postoperative nomogram, included AFP (HR: 0.501; 95% CI: 0.271-0.925; <i>P</i> = 0.027), ALBI grade (HR: 0.356; 95% CI: 0.192-0.659; P = 0.001), MVI (HR: 0.086; 95% CI: 0.024-0.192; <i>P</i> < 0.001), and response to TACE combined therapy (HR: 3.367; 95% CI: 1.479-7.721; <i>P</i> = 0.004). The testing dataset C-indexes of the pre- (0.715) and postoperative (0.912) nomograms were higher than all five staging systems (0.589-0.483; all <i>P</i> < 0.001). Two prognostically distinct risk strata were identified according to these nomograms (all <i>P</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on 255 patients receiving TACE combined conversion therapy for LHCC, we developed and validated two nomograms for predicting OS, with superior performances than five major staging systems and effective survival stratification.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"17 ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11989599/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143964260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>THSR</i> Mediated <i>MiR374b</i> Targeting <i>C</i>/<i>EBP β</i>/<i>FOXO1</i> to Accelerate Thyroid Stimulating Hormone-Induced Hepatic Steatosis.","authors":"Juyi Li, Yang Ge, Yuwei Chai, Chunjia Kou, Tian Tian Sun, Jia Liu, Haiqing Zhang","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S481687","DOIUrl":"10.2147/HMER.S481687","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) has been identified as an independent risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), TSH binds to the TSH receptor (TSHR) to exert its function. However, the underlying mechanisms by which TSHR influences NAFLD development remain unclear. This study investigates the role of <i>miR374b</i> in NAFLD progression.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Firstly, a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver was constructed and divided into a normal group and a model group. The liver tissue pathology and fat accumulation were detected by Oil Red O staining and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Western blot and Real time PCR were used to detect for the impact of TSHR/miR-374b/C/EBP β/ FoxO1 pathway in the NAFLD model, and the expression of relevant inflammatory factors in each group was detected by ELISA assay. A NAFLD cell model was constructed using HepG2 cells, TSHR overexpression and interference, combined with miR-374b inhibitor and mimics, were transfected simultaneously to demonstrate TSHR/miR-374b/C/EBP β/ The mechanism of FoxO1 adipogenesis in vitro.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TSHR stimulates <i>miR374b</i> secretion in human liver cancer cells (HepG2) and promotes lipid accumulation in the liver. Deficiency of <i>miR374b</i> in HepG2 cells attenuated NAFLD progression. Mechanistically, TSH increases <i>miR374b</i> expression, which then suppresses the transcription of its target genes, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-b (<i>C/EBP β</i>) and Forkhead Box Protein O1 (<i>FOXO1</i>). This suppression influences the expression of downstream lipid metabolism proteins, including PPARγ, SREBP2, and SREBP1c. Additionally, <i>miR374b</i> directly targets the 3'UTR of <i>C/EBP β</i> and <i>FOXO1</i>, establishing a negative feedback loop in lipid metabolism.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that TSHR-induced upregulation of <i>miR374b</i> accelerates NAFLD progression by modulating lipid metabolism pathways through C/EBP β and FOXO1.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"16 ","pages":"91-104"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11583786/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142710049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Liver Dysfunction in Hyperthyroidism.","authors":"Thitichaya Khongsaengbhak, Thanapat Atthakitmongkol, Tawesak Tanwandee","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S487794","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2147/HMER.S487794","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Thyrotoxicosis is often associated with abnormal liver tests. This study aimed to characterize the clinical features and laboratory findings in thyrotoxic patients with liver abnormalities and to identify predictive factors for differentiating thyroid storm within this population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a retrospective review of thyrotoxic patients with hepatic dysfunction between January 2015, and January 2021, at Siriraj Hospital, Thailand. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with thyroid storm.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 771 thyrotoxic patients, 43 revealed abnormal liver tests within six months of diagnosis (5.58%). The mean age was 53.16 ± 15.10 years, with a female predominance (60.5%), and the majority (97.7%) were diagnosed with Graves' disease. The most common comorbidities were atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and dyslipidemia. Hepatic dysfunction presented as non-specific, with 46.5% showing a cholestatic pattern, 30.2% a mixed pattern, and 20.9% a hepatocellular pattern. The most possible etiologies of hepatic dysfunction were hyperthyroidism-related hepatitis (41.9%) with atrial fibrillation with congestive hepatopathy (38.9%), concomitant with chronic hepatitis C infection (14.0%), and methimazole-induced hepatic dysfunction (9.3%). The younger age, congestive heart failure, and total bilirubin levels ≥ 3.0 mg/dL were independent factors in distinguishing clinical thyroid storm among thyrotoxic patients without thyroid storm.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Liver abnormalities can be observed in patients with thyrotoxicosis. The possible causes are multifactorial, including hyperthyroidism-related hepatitis, atrial fibrillation with congestive hepatopathy, and chronic hepatitis C infection. Younger age, congestive heart failure, and total bilirubin ≥ 3.0 mg/dL were predictive factors for thyroid storm diagnosis among thyrotoxic patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"16 ","pages":"81-89"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11556236/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142618992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Highlighting Hepatopulmonary Syndrome: An Important Consideration in Decompensated Cirrhosis [Letter].","authors":"Somina Shaikh","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S492882","DOIUrl":"10.2147/HMER.S492882","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"16 ","pages":"79-80"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11380880/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142153879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Direct Ingestion of Oxidized Red Blood Cells (Efferocytosis) by Hepatocytes.","authors":"Chaowen Zheng, Siyuan Li, Huanran Lyu, Cheng Chen, Johannes Mueller, Anne Dropmann, Seddik Hammad, Steven Dooley, Songqing He, Sebastian Mueller","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S469990","DOIUrl":"10.2147/HMER.S469990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Both hepatic iron accumulation and hemolysis have been identified as independent prognostic factor in alcohol-related liver disease (ALD); however, the mechanisms still remain poorly understood. We here demonstrate that hepatocytes are able to directly ingest aged and ethanol-primed red blood cells (RBCs), a process termed efferocytosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Efferocytosis of RBCs was directly studied in vitro and observed by live microscopy for real-time visualization. RBCs pretreated with either CuSO₄ or ethanol following co-incubation with Huh7 cells and murine primary hepatocytes. <i>Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)</i> and other targets were measured by q-PCR.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>As shown by live microscopy, oxidized RBCs, but not intact RBCs, are rapidly ingested by both Huh7 cells and murine primary hepatocytes within 10 minutes. In some cases, more than 10 RBCs were seen within hepatocytes, surrounding the nucleus. RBC efferocytosis also rapidly induces <i>HO1</i>, its upstream regulator Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (<i>Nrf2)</i> and <i>ferritin</i>, indicating efficient heme degradation. Preliminary data further suggest that hepatocyte efferocytosis of oxidized RBCs is, at least in part, mediated by scavenging receptors such as <i>ASGPR1</i>. Of note, pretreatment of RBCs with ethanol but also heme and bilirubin also initiated efferocytosis. In a cohort of heavy human drinkers, a significant correlation of hepatic <i>ASGPR1</i> with the heme degradation pathway was observed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We here demonstrate that hepatocytes can directly ingest and degrade oxidized RBCs through efferocytosis, a process that can be also triggered by ethanol, heme and bilirubin. Our findings are highly suggestive for a novel mechanism of hepatic iron overload in ALD patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"16 ","pages":"65-77"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11380495/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142153878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Retrospective Database Analysis of Liver-Related Clinical Events in Adult and Pediatric Patients with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency in the United States.","authors":"May Hagiwara, Victoria Divino, Swapna Munnangi, Mark Delegge, Suna Park, Ed G Marins, Kaili Ren, Charlie Strange","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S469769","DOIUrl":"10.2147/HMER.S469769","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>Real-world analyses on burden of illness in patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) are limited. We investigated the real-world burden of liver-related clinical events among adult and pediatric patients with AATD in the USA.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a retrospective, observational analysis of administrative claims data from the IQVIA PharMetrics^® Plus and Ambulatory Electronic Medical Records databases from 2011 to 2022. Patients had a diagnosis of liver and/or lung disease with ≥180 days of continuous enrollment in the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus database before and ≥90 days after their first diagnosis. Follow-up time was assigned to the AATD with liver disease health state or AATD with both liver and lung disease health state (for patients aged ≥18 years only). Baseline demographic characteristics and liver-related clinical events of interest were reported.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 5136 eligible patients, 771 adult and 123 pediatric patients contributed time to the AATD with liver disease health state; 541 adults contributed time to the AATD with both liver and lung disease health state. Among adults, patients with both liver and lung disease had higher rates of liver-related clinical events than patients with liver disease alone. Ascites was the most frequently observed clinical event among adults in both health states, and the median time to the composite of any liver-related clinical event was 26.5 days among all adults combined. Across all pediatric age groups, ascites, gastrointestinal bleed and hepatic encephalopathy were more common than spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but median time to liver-related clinical event varied by age group at index date and type of event. No liver transplantations occurred in patients aged 6-17 years.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Diagnosed AATD with liver disease carries a substantial burden on adult and pediatric patients; new treatment options are warranted to avoid disease progression to decompensating events.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"16 ","pages":"55-64"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11283783/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141787862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chimeric Livers: Interspecies Blastocyst Complementation and Xenotransplantation for End-Stage Liver Disease.","authors":"Madelyn J Blake, Clifford J Steer","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S440697","DOIUrl":"10.2147/HMER.S440697","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) currently serves as the sole definitive treatment for thousands of patients suffering from end-stage liver disease; and the existing supply of donor livers for OLT is drastically outpaced by the increasing demand. To alleviate this significant gap in treatment, several experimental approaches have been devised with the aim of either offering interim support to patients waiting on the transplant list or bioengineering complete livers for OLT by infusing them with fresh hepatic cells. Recently, interspecies blastocyst complementation has emerged as a promising method for generating complete organs in utero over a short timeframe. When coupled with gene editing technology, it has brought about a potentially revolutionary transformation in regenerative medicine. Blastocyst complementation harbors notable potential for generating complete human livers in large animals, which could be used for xenotransplantation in humans, addressing the scarcity of livers for OLT. Nevertheless, substantial experimental and ethical challenges still need to be overcome to produce human livers in larger domestic animals like pigs. This review compiles the current understanding of interspecies blastocyst complementation and outlines future possibilities for liver xenotransplantation in humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"16 ","pages":"11-29"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10878318/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139912491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Free Triiodothyronine, Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase and Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Index: A Novel Model for Predicting 1-Year Mortality in Patients with HBV-Related Hepatic Encephalopathy.","authors":"Lin Lin, Ze-Yu Huang, Kai Liu, Xue-Cheng Tong, Zhi-Xin Zhang, Yuan Xue","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S450638","DOIUrl":"10.2147/HMER.S450638","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is characterized by neuropsychiatric manifestations in patients with decompensated cirrhosis (DC) and/or liver failure. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of thyroid hormone in patients with HE.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients with DC and HE were enrolled, and multivariate logistic analysis was conducted to analyze the risk factors for 1-year mortality.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 81 patients with HBV-related DC and HE, 9 (11.1%) died within 3 months, and 15 (18.5%) died within the first year. More patients with FT3 < 3.5pmol/L had ascites (33.3% vs 8.9%, P<0.01) and higher model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) (Z=3.669, P<0.01). Additionally, free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels were lower in the non-survivor group (P<0.01). FT3 exhibited a negative correlation with international normalized ratio and MELD (both P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that FT3, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) were independent risk factors for 1-year mortality of HE. A new model incorporating FT3, GTT, and SBP demonstrated superiority to MELD based on the AUROC (0.9 and 0.752, P=0.04).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Low FT3, but not thyroid-stimulating hormone and free tetraiodothyronine, was identified as an independent risk factor for 1-year mortality in patients with DC and HE. The newly proposed prognostic model, which includes FT3, GTT, and SBP, holds significant predictive value.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"16 ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10819082/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139569902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Medicinal Plants in Treating Hepatitis B Among Communities of Central Region of Ethiopia.","authors":"Gizachew Beykaso, Tilahun Teklehaymanot, Andargachew Mulu, Nega Berhe, Dawit Hailu Alemayehu, Mirutse Giday","doi":"10.2147/HMER.S440351","DOIUrl":"10.2147/HMER.S440351","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>In Ethiopia, most people rely heavily on traditional therapeutic plants that have been used for years. The practice of traditional medicines use to treat hepatitis is currently gaining popularity due to the limited availability and affordability of modern drugs. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the traditional medicinal plants use to treat viral hepatitis among communities of Central region of Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data was collected from November 2018 to December 2021 in Central Ethiopia. An open-ended semi-structured interview was used among purposively selected herbalists, traditional medicine entrepreneurs, village heads, and patients visiting traditional healers for hepatitis treatments. A 5 mL blood sample was collected from patients who visited a traditional healers' clinic for hepatitis treatment and tested for HBsAg and HCV-antibody by using ELISA. Among HBsAg-positives, further nucleic acid test for HBV-DNA load was assessed to measure the effects of prescribed medicinal plants.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Herbalists cited 24 plants that were used for hepatitis treatment; of which <i>Rumex nepalensis, Vangueria apiculata</i>, and <i>Solanum incanum</i> were the most frequently cited plants. Remedies were commonly prepared by crushing or powdering, mixing them with water, and taken orally. Forty-two individuals were diagnosed and treated as hepatitis patients by herbalists, of which eight of them were HBsAg-positive but no positives for anti-HCV ELISA. At the third and sixth months of viral load assessment among HBsAg-positive, serum HBV-DNA suppression was observed in three individuals treated with different combinations of frequently cited plants.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this study, traditional healers used various plants to treat hepatitis. HBV-DNA suppressive activity was detected in three NAT-positive individuals who were treated by using a mixture of these frequently cited and highest preference-ranked plants. This suggests that these plants have antiviral properties and serve as a basis for more pharmacological research in the quest for new antiviral agents.</p>","PeriodicalId":12917,"journal":{"name":"Hepatic Medicine : Evidence and Research","volume":"15 ","pages":"265-277"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10759923/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139086565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}