ascorbic-acid and Hepatitis-B

In 42 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), liver biopsies were subjected to histological study and morphometry before and after prednisolone treatment (21 patients comprising group I) and treatment with a complex of vitamins B1, B6, B12 and C (21 patients comprising group II). Combined study of liver biopsies during treatment makes it possible to evaluate objectively enough the results of prednisolone therapy of CAH patients. The authors confirmed the efficacy of prednisolone therapy of patients with sero-negative CAH. These patients demonstrated a reduction in dystrophic alterations, volume of inflammatory cells in the portal tracts and in the areas of necrosis, a lowering of the number of aggressive lymphocytes. Prednisolone was discovered to have an adverse effect on seropositive CAH, to activate virus replication in liver tissue, intensify necrotic alterations in the parenchyma and inflammatory reaction in the portal tracts.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Therapy, Combination; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis, Chronic; Humans; Liver; Prednisolone; Vitamin B Complex

Excess reactive oxygen species related to neoplasia of liver has been established. Essentially, the human body has developed different antioxidant systems for defence against these attacks. To evaluate the redox status in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by hepatitis B virus (HBV), the most important aetiological factor in Taiwan, changes in O2(.) generation, lipid peroxidation as well as antioxidant status in the blood of HCC patients with HBV carriers for more than 20 years were measured.. Superoxide anion radical (O2(.-)) generation and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) served as an index of lipid peroxidation along with the analyses of activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GRx); also, glutathione status, including reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and the levels of vitamins A, C and E were determined.. In 54 patients, the levels of O2(.-), MDA and GSSG, and the activities of SOD and GRx of blood were significantly higher than those of 57 controls. Conversely, the levels of GSH and total GSH, and GSH/GSSG ratio, and vitamins A and C were significantly decreased. Additionally, there were no significant changes in the activity of GPx and the levels of vitamin E.. Our data suggest that the redox statuses in patients with HBV-associated HCC were elevated or decreased in certain parameters. However, the increased activities of antioxidant enzymes may be a compensatory up-regulation and the decrease antioxidant statuses were responses to the enhanced oxidative stress in those patients.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ascorbic Acid; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Female; Glutathione; Glutathione Disulfide; Glutathione Peroxidase; Glutathione Reductase; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Malondialdehyde; Middle Aged; Oxidation-Reduction; Superoxide Dismutase; Vitamin A; Vitamin E

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Dentists; Hepatitis B; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases