Polyprenols and steatohepatitis
Clinical study
The study was conducted with the participation of 20 patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. They took polyprenols within 12 weeks. There was a significant improvement in the blood indicators that evidenced the reduction of disease activity, normalization of the lipid spectrum, increase of the liver elasticity and reduction of the risk of cirrhosis.
Golovanova E.V.,
Vinnitskaya E.V.,
Shaposhnikova N.A.,
Petrakov A.V.,
Mel'kina E.S.
Central Research Institute of Gastroenterology, Moscow, Russia
Polyprenolic preparation* − a biopolymer made of polyprenols extracted from the needles of pine and spruce (a plant equivalent of the endogenous transport lipid of dolichol). Locating inside the phospholipid bilayer of membranes, dolichols modify their fluidity and permeability, take part in the regeneration, differentiation and proliferation of cells.
Study Purpose
To study the effectiveness of polyprenols* in the therapy of patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Materials and Methods
Twenty patients with NASH and lipid metabolism disorder received polyprenolic preparation* in the dose of 3 drops 3 times a day within 12 weeks orally as monotherapy. Changes in levels of serum enzymes (alanine (ALT) and aspartate (AST) transaminases, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) and lipids (total cholesterol (CS), triglycerides (TG), lipoproteids of low (LDL) and high (HDL) density) were assessed. Fibrosis index (FI) of liver was measured with the method of indirect ultrasonic elastometry before and after treatment.
Results
After 12 weeks of monotherapy with the polyprenolic preparation* there was reduction of activity of ALT from 95.2 ± 9.3 u/l to 38.2 ± 5.3 u/l (р > 0.05), AST from 91.5 ± 11.6 u/l to 35.1 ± 7.2 u/l (р > 0.05), ALP from 338.2 ± 54.3 u/l to 189.9 ± 23.1 u/l (р > 0.05), GGTP from 165.3 ± 18.6 u/l to 88.4 ± 12.5 u/l (р > 0.05). There was a reliable (р < 0.05) reduction of levels of CS (from 8.3 ± 1.4 mmol/l to 6.1 ± 0.8 mmol/l) and TG (from 3.1 ± 0.3 to 1.2 ± 0.4 mmol/l). The levels of LDL decreased from 4.3 ± 1.1 to 2.1 ± 1.0 mmol/l (р > 0.05), the levels of HDL increased from 0.75 ± 0.2 to 1.1 ± 0.4 mmol/l (р > 0.05). FI reduced from 3.8 ± 1,1 units to 1.9 ± 0.7 units (р < 0.05). There were no side effects.
Conclusion
Polyprenols are effective* in the treatment of patients with NASH. The preparation reduces the clinical-and-biochemical activity of the disease, helps normalize the lipid spectrum. The reduction of FI evidences an increase of liver elasticity and a decrease of the risk of cirrhosis. (Published in the proceedings of the 10th Jubilee Congress of the Gastroenterology Scientific Society of Russia, Moscow, 2010, P. 66)
* A polyprenolic preparation of Ropren was used the study, which is a pure concentrate of polyprenols (the total fraction is 95%). The text of the study is provided by courtesy of Solagran.