Mechanisms of Action of Silymarin for Hepatitis C

描述（由申请人提供）：丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）是一种全球性的肝脏疾病，影响超过1.7亿人。唯一被批准的治疗慢性丙型肝炎的药物是干扰素（IFN）和利巴韦林（ribaavirin），它们只能治愈约50%的感染患者。考虑到IFN治疗成功的机会和显著的副作用，许多患者食用植物药，如水飞蓟。水飞蓟中的有效成分是水飞蓟素（SM），它被认为可以促进肝脏健康。然而，SM究竟是如何促进肝脏健康的还不清楚。此外，植物产业缺乏适当的标准化的来源植物和植物提取物的制备。我们建议使用经过仔细标准化和验证的SM制剂来确定SM如何促进健康的肝脏。我们假设SM作为抗炎和抗病毒药物保护肝脏免受HCV感染。我们相信这些研究将为今后SM在慢性丙型肝炎患者中的临床试验提供坚实的基础。项目简介：慢性丙型肝炎是一种全球性的肝脏疾病，影响超过1.7亿人。它是由丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）引起的。感染者的治疗选择有限、昂贵、有重大副作用，而且往往疗效有限。本项目旨在探讨水飞蓟素的保肝机制，为慢性丙型肝炎的替代和补充药物治疗提供合理依据。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global disease of the liver that affects over 170 million people. The only approved treatment for chronic hepatitis C is interferon (IFN) and ribavirin, which only cures about 50% of infected patients. Given the chance of success and significant side effects associated with IFN therapy, many patients consume botanicals such as milk thistle. The active ingredient in milk thistle is Silymarin (SM), which is thought to promote a healthy liver. However, exactly how SM promotes a healthy liver is not known. Furthermore, the botanical industry lacks proper standardization of the source plants and preparation of botanical extracts. We propose to determine how SM promotes a healthy liver, using a carefully standardized and validated preparation of SM. We hypothesize that SM acts as an anti-inflammatory and anti-viral agent to protect the liver from HCV infection. We believe these studies will provide a solid foundation for future clinical trials of SM in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Project Narrative: Chronic hepatitis C is a global disease of the liver that affects over 170 million people. It is caused by a hepatitis C virus (HCV). Treatment options for infected people are limited, expensive, associated with major side effects, and frequently of limited efficacy. This project will investigate the mechanisms of hepatoprotection of the botanical silymarin to provide a rational basis for alternative and complementary medicine approaches to treatment of chronic hepatitis C.