Natural Bioactive Compounds as Adjuvant Therapy for Hepatitis C Infection

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection is a significant global health burden, which causes acute or chronic hepatitis. The acute hepatitis C is generally asymptomatic and progresses to cure, while persistent infection can progress to chronic liver disease and extrahepatic manifestations. Standard treatment is expensive, poorly tolerated, and has variable sustained virologic responses amongst the different viral genotypes. New therapies involve direct acting antivirals; however, it is also very expensive and may not be accessible for all patients worldwide. In order to provide a complementary approach to the already existing therapies, natural bioactive compounds are investigated as to their several biologic activities, such as direct antiviral properties against hepatitis C, and effects on mitigating chronic progression of the disease, which includes hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory activities; additionally, these compounds present advantages, as chemical diversity, low cost of production and milder or inexistent side effects. Objective: To present a broad perspective on hepatitis C infection, the chronic disease, and natural compounds with promising anti-HCV activity. Methods: This review consists of a systematic review study about the natural bioactive compounds as a potential therapy for hepatitis C infection. Results: The quest for natural products have yielded compounds with biologic activity, including viral replication inhibition in vitro, demonstrating antiviral activity against hepatitis C. Conclusion: One of the greatest advantages of using natural molecules from plant extracts is the low cost of production, not requiring chemical synthesis, which can lead to less expensive therapies available to low and middle-income countries.

Effect of Silymarin as an Adjunct Therapy in Combination with Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin in Hepatitis C Patients: A Miniature Clinical Trial

“…Though antivirals effectively eradicate viral load, but these may also pose several other side effects. To revoke the side effects of antivirals, several ancillary supplements or adjuvant therapies are being used to treat HCV [ 26 , 27 ]. Adjuvant therapy is supposed to enhance the patient's well-being and to restore the hepatic function and other parameters of viability.…”

“…Adjuvant therapy is supposed to enhance the patient's well-being and to restore the hepatic function and other parameters of viability. Literature shows that several vitamins and minerals such as A, B, C, E, D, zinc, and selenium are used as adjunct to ameliorate the various viability markers of the liver and blood in HCV [ 26 , 27 ]. In this study, we managed to probe the effects of silymarin as an adjunct therapy in HCV patients along with SOF and RBV.…”