Chinese herbs are widely used in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis B. The effectiveness of 2 months' treatment with Astragali compound (AC), containing Radix Astragali and adjuvant components, was studied for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis in 116 patients; 92 patients were given other drugs in regular clinical use for viral hepatitis (controls). The clinical efficacy of AC was significantly better in AC-treated patients than in controls. Negative seroconversions of hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigen e and HBV DNA were also significantly higher in AC-treated patients than in controls. Of eight duck viral hepatitis B models infected with duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) and treated with AC, three showed negative seroconversion of DHBV DNA and serum DHBV DNA levels significantly decreased after AC administration compared with the controls; DHBV DNA was negative in biopsied liver tissue by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry in two ducks treated with AC. Pathological changes were milder in AC-treated ducks than in controls. These results indicate that AC may promote recovery from viral hepatitis and inhibit HBV replication.
In situ Testing of Biologically Active Dietary Supplement Hepar Formula in Children with Chronic Viral Hepatitis
