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Efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid combined with Tongdan Decoction (通胆汤) on immunological indices and histopathological changes in primary biliary cirrhosis patients

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Abstract

Objective

To observe the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) combined with Tongdan: Decoction (通胆汤) on immunological indices and histopathological changes in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) of IIor III histological stage.

Methods

Sixty PBC patients were assigned randomly and equally: to the control group treated with UDCA alone and the treatment group treated with UDCA combined with Tongdan Decoction. The immunological indices and histopathological changes were detected before and after 24-week treatment, and the follow-up lasted for 1–3 years.

Results

After 24-week treatment, CD4+CD28− in the peripheral blood was lowered and CD4+CD25+ was increased in both groups, and better effect was shown in the treatment group (P<0.01). The levels of IgM, IgG, and IgA decreased markedly after 96-week treatment in the treatment group (P< 0.05, P< 0.01), while in the control group, only the latter two showed significant decrease after 148 week (all P<0.05). At the end of the 3-year follow-up, the medians of histopathological <inflammation grading and fibrosis staging declined to a lower rank, and the effect on inflammation was superior in the treatment group to the control group shown by non-parameters Wilcoxon paired symbols test ( Z=2.761,P=0.006).

Conclusion

Combined therapy of Tongdan Decoction and UDCA showed a better therapeutic effect: than UDCA monotherapy on PBC, especially in improving immunological indices and histopathological hepatic changes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Liver Disease, Shenzhen Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518033, China

    Guang-dong Tong  (童光东), Hai-hong Tang  (唐海鸿), Chun-shan Wei  (魏春山), Ying-jie Chen  (陈英杰), Jin-song He  (贺劲松), Xiao-zhou Zhou  (周小舟), Ying-jun Zheng  (郑颖俊) & Da-qiao Zhou  (周大桥)

Authors
  1. Guang-dong Tong  (童光东)
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  2. Hai-hong Tang  (唐海鸿)
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  3. Chun-shan Wei  (魏春山)
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  4. Ying-jie Chen  (陈英杰)
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  5. Jin-song He  (贺劲松)
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  6. Xiao-zhou Zhou  (周小舟)
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  7. Ying-jun Zheng  (郑颖俊)
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  8. Da-qiao Zhou  (周大桥)
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Correspondence to Da-qiao Zhou  (周大桥).

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Tong, Gd., Tang, Hh., Wei, Cs. et al. Efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid combined with Tongdan Decoction (通胆汤) on immunological indices and histopathological changes in primary biliary cirrhosis patients. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 18, 16–22 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-0112-0962-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-0112-0962-9

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