Groundbreaking Drug-Free Treatment for Hepatitis C

A potentially groundbreaking study has shown that a nutritional supplement was effective in treating patients with hepatitis C who do not respond to standard antiviral therapy. The research, published in the June 7, 2010 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology, was conducted by doctors at the National Institute of Gastroenterology in Havana, Cuba.

Called Viusid, the supplement contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C), zinc, and glycyrrhizic acid (licorice). The antioxidant properties of these ingredients work by preventing the proliferation of free radicals, and their immunomodulatory effects help strengthen the immune system.

Patients with hepatitis C who did not respond to standard therapy received either 3 doses of Viusid daily or placebo. Certain chemicals in the body that gauge levels of oxidative stress and immune response were measured. Patients on Viusid showed significant improvement in these parameters when compared to the control group.

Unfortunately, only 50% of people with hepatitis C respond to the single treatment currently available—the combination of the drugs peginterferon and ribavirin. Trials for other drugs had to be stopped due to serious side effects, the researchers explained in their paper.

“Hepatitis C virus infection is one of the most important causes of chronic liver disease,” stated the authors. “There is an obvious need for the continuous development of new treatment strategies.”