Cirrhosis runs in the family, study says
Mayo Clinic release - Mayo Clinic researchers have found that first-degree relatives (i.e., parents, siblings, children) of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are more likely to have the biomarker of the disease in their blood. Armed with this new information, physicians could screen and assess first-degree relatives of PBC patients with a simple blood test, enabling them to diagnose and treat more patients before the disease causes irreversible liver damage. These findings were published in this month’s issue of Hepatology. Read more
Catepillar fungus powerful to relieve liver fibrosis
CM NEWS - A traditional Chinese medicine as expensive as gold could be more precious than gold as it may now be able to turn back the clock for patients with liver fibrosis. Read more
Ancient formula Qiongyugao may fight liver cancer
Fu Ling" alt="fu ling, liver cancer, qiongyugao" align="left" border="2" height="215" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="293" />CM NEWS - An ancient Chinese herbal formula composed mainly of ginseng (人參), poria (fu ling, 茯苓) and rehmannia (di huang, 地黃) has been found to be able to slow down the growth of tumour of the liver and inhibit the expression of a special protein that appears to participate in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of primary liver cancers.
The current study about Qiongyugao (瓊玉膏) was carried out by researchers at the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou.
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of qiongyugao on the expression of hepatitis B x antigen (HBxAg) in BALB/c-nu mice (picture) into which human hepatic carcinoma cells were transplanted, and to analyze its specific mechanism in prophylaxis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Increasing evidence suggests that the viral contribution to hepatocellular carcinoma involves persistently high levels of the virus-encoded X antigen, or hepatitis B x antigen (HBxAg), in the liver of chronically infected patients. High levels of intrahepatic HBxAg expression directly correlate with the intensity of liver disease. HBxAg transforms cells in vitro, whereas sustained high levels of HBxAg in transgenic mice are associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, suggesting that HBxAg plays an important role in the pathogenesis of this tumour type.
In the present study, a nude mouse model with the transplantation of human hepatic carcinoma cells was established to observe the preventive and therapeutic effects of Qiongyugao on the body weight and tumour weight of the mice. The expression of HBxAg in tumour and liver tissue wsa detected by immunohistochemical studies.
RESULTS: Compared with model control group, prophylaxis and treatment with Qiongyugao increased the body weight, depressed the tumour weight and inhibited HBxAg expression. The same efficacy was shown in both Qiongyugao prophylaxis group and cyclophosphamide treatment group.
CONCLUSION: Qiongyugao can slow down the growth of tumour and inhibit the expression of HBxAg, which may be an essential mechanism in prophylaxis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
[Xi Bao Yu Fen Zi Mian Yi Xue Za Zhi (細胞與分子免疫學雜誌). 2007 Jan;23(1):56-9.]
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