Shugan Huoxue Huayu Fang attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats by inhibiting transforming growth factor-β1/Smad signaling.

Objective: To investigate the potential mechanism by which Shugan Huoxue Huayu Fang (SGHXHYF) ameliorates liver fibrosis.

Methods: Liver fibrosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in peanut oil solution (40%, 3 mL/kg body weight) twice a week for 8 weeks. A normal control group received the same volume of peanut oil alone.

Thyroid dysfunction in Chinese hepatitis C patients: Prevalence and correlation with TPOAb and CXCL10.

Aim: To investigate the relationship among pretreatment serum CXC chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) levels and thyroid dysfunction (TD) in Chinese hepatitis C patients.

Methods: One hundred and thirty-nine treatment-naive genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C patients with no history of TD or treatment with thyroid hormones were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin (PegIFNα-2a/RBV) treatment for 48 wk, followed by detection of clinical factors at each follow-up point.

[The difference of IL-28B polymorphisms between hepatitis C patients with and without cryoglobulinemia].

Objective: To determine whether patients infected with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) show a differential distribution profile of IL-28B polymorphisms according to the presence of concomitant cryoglobulinemia.

Methods: Sixty-two consecutive CHC patients were enrolled in the study between December 2008 and December 2010. All patients received combination therapy of pegylated interferon alpha-2a (weekly, 180 g, subcutaneous injection) plus ribavirin (daily, 10to15 mg/kg body weight, oral) for 48 weeks, with individualized dosage adjustments according to the patient's clinical situation.