Experimental and clinical evaluation of the efficacy of ecdysten in the treatment of hepatitis

The properties of ecdysten, an exdysterone-based preparation, were studied under experimental (of heliotrine induced hepatitis model in rats) and clinical (chronic viral hepatitis B) conditions. A 2-week treatment with ecdysten in a daily dose of 5 mg/kg (p.o.) significantly improved the state of rat liver, as manifested by normalization of the enzymatic activity of blood serum, stimulation of the protein and glycogen synthesis, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and activation of all chains of microsomal oxidation of hepatocytes. The inclusion of ecdysten into a complex therapy scheme for patients with chronic viral hepatitis B (5-mg tablets twice per day over a period of 30 days) substantially improved the clinical and biochemical indices of the functional state of liver, positively influenced the humoral and cell immunity and the resistance factors, and normalized the course of autoimmune processes accompanying the liver pathology.