Treatment of chronic hepatitis B with high-dose intravenous N-acetyl-L-cysteine.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Therapy of hepatitis B with alpha-interferon is only successful in 30-40%; therefore new therapeutic options are needed. N-acetyl-L-cysteine is well known as an antidote against paracetamol intoxication and as mucolytic agent in pulmonary diseases. Furthermore, it restrains human immunodeficiency virus replication and inhibits hepatitis B virus replication at a posttranscriptional level in vitro. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of N-acetyl-L-cysteine in 5 patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus. METHODOLOGY: N-acetyl-L-cysteine was given intravenously at a daily dose of 150 mg/kg body weight. Treatment was performed for 28 days. RESULTS: The N-acetyl-L-cysteine infusions were tolerated without any side effects. Except a mild increase in thrombocyte-counts within the last week of N-acetyl-L-cysteine infusion blood tests did not change. We could not detect any changes in quantitative hepatitis B virus-DNA levels as well as in the HBeAg-status. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude from our data that N-acetyl-L-cysteine given in a high dose intravenously for 28 days is well tolerated. In contrast to in vitro studies no significant effects on the hepatitis B-virus load were detectable in vivo.     «

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Therapy of hepatitis B with alpha-interferon is only successful in 30-40%; therefore new therapeutic options are needed. N-acetyl-L-cysteine is well known as an antidote against paracetamol intoxication and as mucolytic agent in pulmonary diseases. Furthermore, it restrains human immunodeficiency virus replication and inhibits hepatitis B virus replication at a posttranscriptional level in vitro. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of N-acetyl-L-cysteine in 5 patients chro...     »