Abstract
AIM: To investigate the therapeutic effect of Zhuang herb Hanyitai on liver function, viral replication, immune regulation and liver inflammation in a duck model infected by duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV).
METHODS: Duck hepatitis B was induced by intraperitoneal injection of DHBV positive serum into one-day-old Guangxi sheldrakes. On the day before treatment (T0), 7 d (T7) and 14 d (T14) during treatment, and 3 d (P3) after treatment, jugular blood and liver tissue samples were collected to detect aspartate aminotransferase (ALT), alanine aminotransferase (AST), interleukin-2 (IL-2), DHBV DNA, and liver pathology.
RESULTS: In the model group, ALT, AST and IL-2 levels were significantly increased after DHBV infection for one week and two weeks (P = 0.028, 0.036; P = 0.005, 0.04; P = 0.045), the amount of virus was relatively stable, and severe fatty degeneration was observed in liver tissues. In the lamivudine group, ALT and IL-2 levels were significantly decreased after treatment for one week and two weeks (P = 0.001, 0.042; P = 0.023), AST level showed no significant changes, the replication of virus was significantly inhibited (P = 0.034; 0.007), without rebounding after medication withdrawal for three days (P = 0.013), and liver tissue pathology showed moderate liver steatosis. In the high dose Hanyitai group, ALT, AST, and IL-2 levels were significantly reduced after treatment for one week and two weeks (P = 0.047, 0.035; P = 0.007, 0.003; P = 0.026, 0.049), the replication of virus was inhibited significantly as the lamivudine group (P = 0.025; P = 0.012; P = 0.011), and liver tissue pathology displayed moderate liver steatosis. In the usual dose Hanyitai group, ALT, AST, and IL-2 levels were significantly reduced after treatment for one week and two weeks (P = 0.015; P = 0.038; P = 0.024, 0.004), but at T14, ALT and AST level rebounded, the replication of virus was inhibited moderately, and moderate or severe steatosis was noted.
CONCLUSION: Hanyitai can reduce transaminase levels, inhibit DHBV DNA replication, and reduce IL-2 secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Hanyitai could protect liver cells, relieve hepatic steatosis, and reduce acute immunological liver injury.
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