Effects of reduced glutathione and n-acetylcysteine on lidocaine metabolism in cimetidine treated rats.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of exogenous glutathione (GSH) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the formation of monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) from lidocaine in rats with and without the administration of cimetidine. GSH and NAC were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.

Serum lipid levels during interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) may affect lipid metabolism by stimulating hepatic fatty acid synthesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum lipid levels during IFN-alpha therapy in patients with biopsy-proven chronic active hepatitis C. A total of 22 patients (18 males and 4 females; age 25-55 years) received 3 MU of recombinant IFN-alpha 2b 3 times a week for 6 months.

Detection of anti-HCV IgM antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon.

Objective: To assess the role of IgM antibodies to hepatitis C virus core protein (anti-HCV IgM) as a marker of chronic HCV infection and as a predictor of successful interferon (IFN) treatment.

Design: Anti-HCV IgM levels were evaluated at baseline, during IFN therapy and during a follow-up period.

Methods: Anti-HCV IgM levels were evaluated in 62 patients (47 men and 15 women, aged 25-65 years) with biopsy-proven chronic active hepatitis C.

Caffeine clearance in subjects with constitutional unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia.

To investigate the behaviour of caffeine (CAF) in patients with Gilbert's Syndrome (GS), a combined oral loading test of caffeine and chenodeoxycholic acid was performed in 14 healthy subjects and 71 patients with GS. Indocyanine green (ICG) kinetics was tested in 50 subjects with GS and in all control subjects. Fasting serum bile acids (SBA) and clearance after CDCA loading were within normal range in normal and GS subjects.

Lymphoblastoid interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C: biochemical, virological and histological evaluation of two different doses.

Sixty patients of both sexes with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C were randomized to receive lymphoblastoid interferon 3 MU or 6 MU three times weekly for 6 months. A follow-up period of 3 months at the end of the therapy was scheduled. Thirty-two patients (53.