Atorvastatin rapidly reduces hepatitis B viral load in combination with Tenofovir: a prospective clinical trial

Objective and Aim. Atorvastatin inhibits cholesterol synthesis which is critically important in the formation of the viral envelope and secretion. The efficacy and safety of giving atorvastatin (40 mg/day) as an adjunct to tenofovir in the treatment of hepatitis B (HBV) were assessed. Method. In this single-blind clinical trial, 40 patients with active chronic hepatitis B were randomly allocated to treatment or control groups. The treatment group received the standard treatment for chronic HBV (300 mg tenofovir twice a day) along with 40 mg/day atorvastatin for 12 months, while the control group received a placebo once daily in addition to the standard tenofovir regimen. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and HBV DNA copy numbers were measured at the beginning of the treatment and 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 months later. Results. One month after starting the treatment, the HBV copy number in the atorvastatin + tenofovir-treated group was significantly lower, by 200×, compared with the control group. After three months of the treatment, there was no detectable HBV DNA in 50% of the atorvastatin + tenofovir-treated group compared with 30% in the control group. The half-life of plasma viral load was 2.03 and 3.32 months in the atorvastatin + tenofovir-treated and control groups, respectively. No adverse events due to taking atorvastatin were observed. Conclusions. The combination of atorvastatin with tenofovir increased antiviral activity and led to a faster recovery from viral infection. Therefore, this modality can be recommended as a safe combination therapy for chronic hepatitis B patients

Biochemical and pathological study of hydroalcoholic extract of Achillea millefolium L. On ethylene glycol-induced nephrolithiasis in laboratory rats

Background: Nephrolithiasis is of the most prevalent urinary tract disease. It seems worthwhile to replace the conventional treatments with more benefi cial and safer agents, particularly herbal medicines which are receiving an increasing interest nowadays. Aims: In this study, we investigated the protective and curative effects of Achillea millefolium L. on ethylene glycol (EG)-induced nephrolithiasis in rats. Materials and Methods: The extract of A. millefolium was prepared by soxhlet method. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into fi ve groups (N = 8) as follows. The negative control (group A) received tap drinking water. Rats in sham (positive control group B), curative (group C and D), and preventive (group E) groups all received 1 EG in drinking water according to the experimental protocol for 30 days. In the curative groups, dosages of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (BW) of A. millefolium extract were administered orally from day 15 to the end of the experiment, group C and D, respectively. Group E received 200 mg/kg A. millefolium extract from the 1st day throughout the experiment. Urinary oxalate and citrate concentrations were measured by spectrophotometer on the fi rst and 30thdays. On day 31, the kidneys were removed and examined histopathologically for counting the calcium oxalate (CaOx) deposits in 50 microscopic fi elds. Results: In the curative and preventive groups, administration of A. millefolium extract showed signifi cant reduction in urinary oxalate concentration (P < 0.05). Also, urinary citrate concentration was signifi cantly increased in group C, D, and E. The CaOx deposits signifi cantly decreased in group C to E compared with the group B. Conclusions: According to our results, A. millefolium extract had preventive and curative effects on EG-induced renal calculi. © 2014, North American Journal of Medical Sciences. All right reserved