Naturopathic Medical Treatment for Hepatitis C:
A Retrospective Consecutive Case Study
LJ Standish, PhD, ND, MS, LAc; G Sivam, PhD; L Canar, Z Smith, WB Milliman, D Lamson, ND; V Sodhi, J Hibbs
Bastyr University Research Institute, Kenmore, WA
Purpose: To evaluate laboratory outcomes in patients who
received naturopathic medical treatment for hepatitis C from four
naturopathic medical clinics in the Seattle area. Primary end points
were biochemical (liver function tests "LFT") and virologic (hepatitis C
plasma viral load).
Method: This study was an uncontrolled retrospective
consecutive case series study. A case report form was developed to
describe hepatitis C patients (age, sex, ethnicity, route of infection,
duration of infection, diagnostic evaluation), treatment plans and to
track laboratory outcomes. Four naturopathic physicians (ND) with
experience treating hepatitis C were identified and contacted to
determine their willingness to have Bastyr University researchers record
confidential data from their patients' charts. All agreed. Each ND
provided the research team with consecutive lists of patients who
scheduled visits to their clinic for treatment of hepatitis C. Data were
abstracted from each patient's chart.
Results: Medical records for a total of 73 patients treated
between 1993 and 1999 using natural medicine were examined. Of these 52%
were men (mean age 43) and 48% women (mean age 46). The route of
infection was 19% IVDU, 21% transfusion, 7% other (sexual, tattoo, razor
sharing), and 52% unstated/unknown. Only 26% had a liver biopsy. Only 4%
were receiving concurrent conventional therapy (interferon and/or
ribavirin). Mean self-reported duration of infection was 16 years. ND
protocols most commonly included dietary/lifestyle changes, antioxidant
vitamins/minerals, colchicine, Phyllanthes amarus, Silymarin,
Glycyrrhiza glabra, Ayurvedic botanical combinations (Liv52, Livit2
and Trifal), and ursodeoxycholic acid. 22% of patients had sufficient
LFT laboratory data to assess treatment outcomes at 6-12 months. Of
these, 56% showed a clinically significant reduction (at least a 40%
decrease or normalized levels) in LFT. Only 5 patients had sufficient
viral load laboratory data to assess treatment outcomes at 6-12 months.
Of these, two showed a clinically significant reduction (0.5 log unit)
in viral load.
Conclusion: Retrospective clinical case reviews are not an
adequate method for assessing efficacy of natural medicine treatment for
hepatitis C. While no patients showed a suppression of viral load to
undetectable levels, more than half of evaluable patients showed
improvement in LFTs. Results of this retrospective case study suggest
the testable hypothesis that a combination treatment protocol consisting
of dietary/lifestyle changes, several botanical medicines, antioxidant
vitamins/minerals and bile salts may be beneficial in the treatment of
hepatitis C.
