Cimicifuga foetida L. plus adefovir effectively inhibits the replication of hepatitis B virus in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Dai,Xiufang; Yi,Xianfu; Sun,Zequn; Ruan,Peng

doi:10.3892/br.2016.601

Cimicifuga foetida L. plus adefovir effectively inhibits the replication of hepatitis B virus in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Authors:
- Xiufang Dai
- Xianfu Yi
- Zequn Sun
- Peng Ruan
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Affiliations: Department of Breast Surgery, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China, Department of Emergency, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China, Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
Published online on: February 16, 2016 https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2016.601
Pages: 493-497

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) effect of Cimicifuga foetida L. (C. foetida) in the patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A total of 60 randomly selected patients with CHB were recruited and divided into groups I and II. The patients in group I received a monotherapy of adefovir (ADV), and the patients in group II received a combination therapy of ADV and C. foetida for >48 weeks. Intrahepatic (IH) HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), serum HBV DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), alanine aminotransferase levels and serum interferon‑γ (IFN‑γ) and transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) levels were quantified during the test. Following the treatment, a significant reduction of the median IH cccDNA level was identified in group II (P=0.017), but not in group I (P=0.05, and P=0.01 between the 2 groups), and a significant reduction of log10 HBsAg was identified in groups I (P=0.012) and II (P<0.0001, and P=0.20 between the 2 groups). A significant increase of the median serum IFN‑γ level was found in group II (P=0.0005), but not in group I (P=0.06, and P=0.004 between the 2 groups), and a significant reduction of the median TGF‑β level was identified in groups I (P<0.0001) and II (P<0.0001, and P=0.002 between the 2 groups). A total of 24 patients in group I, and 27 patients in group II achieved a sustained virological response (P=0.0386), and 20 patients in group I and 24 in group II achieved hepatitis B e antigen seroclearance (P=0.0442). In conclusion, C. foetida can effectively inhibit HBV transcription and replication in the patients by stimulating the release of the inflammatory cytokines, such as IFN-γ.

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