Ursolic acid enhances mouse liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy.

Context: Ursolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid which has hepatoprotective and antihepatotoxic activities.

Objective: This study investigated whether ursolic acid is able to stimulate liver regeneration in partially hepatectomized mice.

Materials And Methods: Ursolic acid or the vehicle solution was orally administered to the experimental, sham-operated and vehicle-treated group mice for 7 days, positive control animal (mice) was treated with recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor (rhHGF), and then the 70% liver partial hepatectomy was performed.

Ribavirin and IFN-alpha combination therapy induces CD4+ T-cell proliferation and Th1 cytokine secretion in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Aim: To investigate the anti-viral mechanism of combination therapy of interferon (IFN)-alpha and ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: Twenty patients were assigned to receive either IFN-alpha plus ribavirin (group A, n = 14) or no treatment as a control (group B, n = 6). Patients were analyzed for T-cell proliferative responses specific for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-antigen and cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

A one-year trial of entecavir treatment in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of entecavir (ETV) in hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who had not received a nucleoside analogue and who had failed in lamivudine (LVD) therapy.

Methods: Sixty-one patients were divided into three groups. Forty-two patients who had not received a nucleoside analogue were randomized into two groups: group A (n = 21) received LVD 100 mg/d and group B (n = 21) received ETV 0.

Efficacy of ultrasonography and alpha-fetoprotein on early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasonographic screening for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The data of 14968 patients who had ultrasonography (US) for chronic liver diseases were collected into a database program from June 1995 to June 2005. The risk factors for HCC were also studied.

Delayed hemorrhage from hepatic artery after ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy: a case report.

Percutaneous liver biopsy is considered one of the most important diagnostic tools to evaluate diffuse liver diseases. Pseudoaneurysm of hepatic artery is an unusual complication after ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy. Delayed hemorrhage occurs much less frequently.

Treatment of pig serum-induced rat liver fibrosis with Boschniakia rossica, oxymatrine and interferon-alpha.

Aim: To investigate the effect of Boschniakia rossica (BR), oxymatrine (OM) and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) 1b on the therapy of rat liver fibrosis and its mechanism.

Methods: By establishing a rat model of pig serum-induced liver fibrosis, liver/weight index and serum alanine transaminase (ALT) were observed to investigate the therapeutic effect of BR,OM and IFN-alpha. Radioimmunoassay was utilized to measure procollagen type III (PCIII) and collagen type IV (CIV).