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Hi Thomas,
 Its particularly nice to see that there may be some value taking MT while
either waiting for treatment for one reason or another, or having failed
treatment.

I see no reference to MT and IFN Rba, except that prospective participants
(url 2) will not have been on clinical treatment for HCV for at least six
months.

So that means this study would probably be of most value to those that have
relapsed, are waiting to be treated for various reasons, or otherwise want
to maintain as healthy a liver as they can despite the infection.

 The Steatosis (Fatty Liver) connection, bile production factors and
fibrosis reversal or reduction seem to me to be a critical factor for those
of us in that category.   I personally, and perhaps hastily or mistakenly
have come to believe that there is a possibility of managing the effects of
the virii on the liver, and that the recent Sulphasalzine discoveries seem
to fit into this somehow.

There is now the chance that these compounds can reverse fibrosis in a
alcohol-induced  cirrhotic livers.  Apparently coincidentally, it is used in
managing the effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis, which has been a sub topic in
this group lately.  Merely coincidences, I suppose.

Did you ever try to visualize the body trying to deal with the virus, in a
physical sense?

I think we've all done that to a certain extent.   But to carry that further
(and across the lines of the Scientific Method and quantitative indexes) it
'seems' to me that it is entirely possible that the virii can migrate when
under effective assault, to the farthest and densest parts of the body,
namely extremities and big boned joints or tendons.  Or perhaps that is
where the bastions of infection really are.  So it is worth my while in
fact, that theraputic use these two seemingly unrelated compounds and their
complementary functions might increase my chances of Crossing the Bar from
something else besides the effects of the HCV virus.

Yes, I used a little Voodoo to come up with that idea.  However, I certainly
am not expecting Kahoutek to beam me up and away.  I have paid lots of
attention to the effectiveness of current treatment methods plus all the
criteria for why I would likely not succeed at this point, again, or want to
take the chance.  I should add I have personal reasons to believe, without
ancedotes, that measuring the amount of bile in the stool might be of use in
determining the ability of MT to enhance processing and elimination,
streamlining the passageways of our guts to allow the body to most
effectively deal with the carci of the virii and the scar tissue and the
excess fat in the liver, which slows the liver down to a trickle.  So there.
Call me a kite mind.  :-)

regards,

cactus jammies -------------------------------------

"Thomas Wagner" <tomw@capecod.com> wrote
about MT trials:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00200798

and tolerability in HCV and NASH patients (not yet recruiting)

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00389376?order=1

Silybum marianum is the Latin name of milkthistle. Silymarin (or silymarnie)
and silybine are flavonoids obtained from the plant.

Kojoh, did I ever mention that I was so terrified of / opposed to tx that I
obsessively and manically researched every possible alternative to what I
soon learned was the only thing that would Kill the f.cking Dragon? <g>