Original Article
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 7, 2010; 16(21): 2638-2647
Published online Jun 7, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i21.2638
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, Enrique Arus Soler, Luis Calzadilla Bertot, Department of Hepatology, National Institute of Gastroenterology, Havana 10400, Cuba
Yadina Martinez Perez, Ali Yasells Garcia, Department of Gastroenterology, National Institute of Gastroenterology, Havana 10400, Cuba
Hector Vega Sanchez, Department of Immunology, National Institute of Gastroenterology, Havana 10400, Cuba
Gretel Riveron Forment, Department of Oxidative Stress, National Genetic Center, Havana 10400, Cuba
Maria del Rosario Abreu Vazquez, Department of Biostatistics, National Institute of Gastroenterology, Havana 10400, Cuba
Licet Gonzalez Fabian, Department of Pathology, Institute of Gastroenterology, Havana 10400, Cuba
Author contributions: Gomez EV and Perez YM contributed equally to this work; Gomez EV and Perez YM performed conception, design, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the manuscript, critical revision of the manuscript and statistical analysis; Sanchez HV, Forment GR, Bertot LC, Garcia AY and Fabian LG performed conception, design, acquisition of data and analysis and interpretation of data; Soler EA performed critical revision of the manuscript; del Rosario Abreu Vazquez M performed the statistical analysis.
Supported by (in part) A grant from Catalysis Laboratories, Spain
Correspondence to: Dr. Eduardo Vilar Gomez, PhD, Associated Professor, Department of Hepatology, National Institute of Gastroenterology, 25th Avenue, 503, Vedado, Havana 10400, Cuba. vilar@infomed.sld.cu
Telephone: +53-7-8325067 Fax: +53-7-8333253
Received: February 28, 2010
Revised: March 14, 2010
Accepted: March 21, 2010
Published online: June 7, 2010
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-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) 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-α 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-γ 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.

Keywords: Antioxidant therapy, Chronic hepatitis C, Cytokines, Immunomodulatory therapy, Nutritional supplement, Oxidative stress