Scand J Gastroenterol. 2007 Sep;42(9):1078-87. Links
Efficacy of zinc administration in patients with hepatitis C virus-
related chronic liver disease.
Himoto T, Hosomi N, Nakai S, Deguchi A, Kinekawa F, Matsuki M, Yachida
M, Masaki T, Kurokochi K, Watanabe S, Senda S, Kuriyama S.
Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University School
of Medicine, Kagawa, Japan.

OBJECTIVE:
Zinc supplementation has been shown to contribute to inhibition of
liver fibrosis and improvement in hepatic encephalopathy. However,
little is known about the anti-inflammatory effect of zinc on
hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic liver disease (CLD). We
therefore examined the effects of zinc administration on inflammatory
activity and fibrosis in the liver of patients with HCV-related CLD.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
Polaprezinc, a complex of zinc and l-carnosine, was administrated at
225 mg/day for 6 months to 14 patients with HCV-related CLD, in
addition to their ongoing prescriptions. Peripheral blood cell counts,
liver-related biochemical parameters, serological markers for liver
fibrosis, HCV-RNA loads, and serum levels of zinc and ferritin were
evaluated before and after zinc administration. RESULTS:
Serum zinc concentrations were positively correlated with hepatic
reserve before zinc supplementation. A significant increase in serum
zinc level was observed after zinc supplementation (64+/-15 versus
78+/-26 mg/dl, p=0.0156). Treatment with polaprezinc significantly
decreased serum aminotransferase levels (aspartate aminotransferase
(AST): 92+/-33 versus 63+/-23 IU/l, p=0.0004; alanine aminotransferase
(ALT): 106+/-43 versus 65+/-32 IU/l, p=0.0002), whereas alkaline
phosphatase levels were significantly increased (305+/-117 versus
337+/-118 U/l, p=0.0020). Serum ferritin levels were significantly
decreased by treatment with polaprezinc (158+/-141 versus 101+/-80 ng/
ml, p=0.0117). The reduction rate of ALT levels by polaprezinc was
positively correlated with that of ferritin (r(2)=0.536, p=0.0389).
There was a tendency toward a decrease in serum type IV collagen 7S
levels after treatment with polaprezinc. However, administration of
polaprezinc did not affect peripheral blood cell counts, other liver
function tests, or HCV-RNA loads.
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings suggest that polaprezinc exerts an anti-inflammatory
effect on the liver in patients with HCV-related CLD by reducing iron
overload.

PMID: 17710674 [PubMed - in process]

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