Clinical and Pharmacological Studies on Liver Disease Treated with Kampo Herbal Medicine

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection frequently causes chronic hepatitis, which is linked to the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Most physicians who practice Kampo medicine in Japan have observed that Kampo medicine can be as effective as interferon therapy in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. In the present study, to evaluate the effect of Kampo medicine on chronic hepatitis C, clinical treatment was assessed in short-term and long-term study, and it was shown that ninjin-yoei-to (Formula ginseng compositae: TJ-108) was very effective. Therefore, to find the most active herbal component of TJ-108 in the treatment of HCV, Citrus Unshiu Peel, Schisandra Fruit, and Polygala Root, which are specific to TJ-108, were screened using an in vitro HCV infection model. Among the three herbs, Schisandra Fruit was found to be most active. In the next step, Gomisin A, an active component of Schisandra Fruit, was studied using an in vitro model with MOLT-4 cells and an animal model of immunologically induced acute hepatic failures. It is concluded that the therapeutic effect of TJ-108 on chronic hepatitis C is from the inhibitory effect on HCV infection, and also from the protective effect on immunological hepatopathy of Schisandra Fruit and its lignan component, Gomisin A.

Complementary and alternative medicine in chronic liver disease

“…Fibrotic liver disease In Japan, recommended for hepatitis B virus TJ-41 50,51 Herbal mixture, induces cellular apoptosis via P 53. Hepatocellular carcinoma TJ-108 51 Herbal mixture with active compound gomisin A. Antiviral Hepatitis C virus Liv-52 52 Herbal mixture-hepatoprotective In India, alcohol-induced liver disease Phyllanthus amarus 54,55 Extract inhibits hepatitis B viral polymerase by inhibiting the virus enhancer I activity-complexes transcription factors…”

Inhibitory effect of Yunnan traditional medicines on hepatitis C viral polymerase

“…A traditional Chinese prescription, Ninjinyoeito (TJ-108), has been reported to reduce serum transaminase levels, increased levels of which are a symptom of chronic hepatitis C, and leads to viral seroconversion. Among the herbal components of Ninjinyoeito, Schisandra fruit and its lignan component, gomisin A, have shown protective effects against immunological hepatopathy [22]. We have previously reported that nine herbal extracts exhibit therapeutic anti-HSV-1 activity in a murine infection model [13].…”

Schisandra chinensis Peptidoglycan-Assisted Transmembrane Transport of Lignans Uniquely Altered the Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Mechanisms in Human HepG2 Cell Model

“…Schisandra chinensis Turz Baill of the Magnoliaceae ( Wuweizi in Chinese) (SC) is widely used as a valuable phytomedicine in China, Korea, and Japan to treat dysfunctional livers, lungs, hearts, and kidneys [9] and for chemical/viral hepatitis [10], [11]. Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans isolated from SC (abbreviated as SCLs) include schizandrin, deoxyschisandrin (schisandrin A, SA), gomisins, schisandrol B, γ-schisandrin, wuweizisu B and C, and schisantherin C [12].…”