Liv.52 in Infective Hepatitis
Jaffari, S.M.H., M.B.,B.S., M.R.C.S., M.R.C.P.I., Professor, Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Sciences and Superintendent, Fever Hospital, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, and Shyam Raj, M.D. (Paediatrics) Civil Assistant Surgeon, Fever Hospital, Hyderabad, A.P., India.
Infective hepatitis is the main cause of jaundice in our country. It is endemic in the city of Hyderabad, as cases occur throughout the year. The majority of them take treatment elsewhere, only a few complicated cases seek admission to hospitals. On an average, about 200 cases are admitted every year in the Fever Hospital.
There is so far no specific therapy for viral hepatitis. It was considered desirable to ascertain the effects of Liv.52 on hepatitis, as published reports recorded its successful use. Liv.52 is an indigenous drug having eight drug ingredients in its composition.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Forty eight patients admitted to the Fever Hospital were randomised into two groups, A and B.
A series of liver function tests were performed on all of them to confirm the diagnosis and assess the progress made by the patient; these tests were studied at the time of admission and after an interval of 15 days.
All the patients had anorexia, nausea, general malaise, abdominal pain, jaundice and hepatomegaly, and sought admission 10 to 15 days after the appearance of the jaundice either in the moderate or the severe stage of the disease.
All patients were kept on glucose, vitamins and low fat diet. Group ‘A’ patients received Liv.52, in addition to the above regime.
To children Liv.52 was given in the form of a syrup. The daily dose of 60 drops was given in divided doses and the adults were kept on two tablets three times a day for a period of 20 days.
In group A, the youngest was three years and the oldest was 55 years and in group B the youngest was four years and the eldest was 42 years of age (Table I).
Table I: Showing the age incidence |
||
Age group |
Group A |
Group B |
1 to 15 years |
11 |
10 |
16 to 30 years |
10 |
9 |
31 to 45 years |
3 |
4 |
46 to 55 years |
1 |
Nil |
Liver function tests :
In group A, three patients had serum bilirubin over 22 mg. per 100 ml. and in group B two patients had 17.7 mg. per 100 ml.; 80% of cases in group A and 60.8% in group B had serum bilirubin over 8 mg. per 100 ml. It will be seen that in group A the liver was not in a better position to excrete bilirubin and in these patients the jaundice was more striking than in group B.
It will be seen that Liv.52 had brought down the values of serum bilirubin to 2 mg. per 100 ml. in 64% in group A and 34.7% in group B, by the end of two weeks and it had exerted a good effect on the clinical improvement of jaundice, which in the words of Bradley (1963), is “the unique clinical manifestation of hyperbilirubinaemia” (Tables II and III).
Table II: Serum bilirubin levels in the patients in the two groups A and B on admission |
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Serum bilirubin levels mg./100 ml |
Group A |
Group B |
0 - 5 |
5 |
7 |
6- 10 |
12 |
9 |
11 - 15 |
4 |
5 |
16 - 20 |
Nil |
2 |
21 - 25 |
4 |
Nil |
Table III : Showing serum bilirubin levels in the patients in the groups A and B, after 15 days of treatment |
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Serum bilirubin levels mg./100 ml |
Number of patients |
|
Group A |
Group B |
|
1 - 2 |
16 |
9 |
3 - 5 |
4 |
10 |
5 - over |
5 |
4 |
B. ALKALINE PHOSPHATES
It is known that high levels of alkaline phosphates indicate biliary obstruction and 30 K.A. is taken as the dividing line between the parenchymatous and obstructive types. In our series 52% in group A and 52.6% in group B had values above 30 K.A. (Tables IV and V).
Refference: http://www.himalayahealthcare.com/pdf_files/liv202.pdf
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