Authors : Sanaa Botros , Rania Abdel-Kader , Maged El-Ghannam , Ahmed El-Ray , Samira Saleh and Madiha Mahmoud
Abstract: This study investigates the effect of dimethyl diphenyl bicarboxylate, which is widely used in Egypt, as a treatment for hepatitis C patients on the metabolic or biochemical liver function, using antipyrine clearance test and conventional liver function tests. All subjects ingested 600 mg antipyrine after overnight fasting. One milliliter saliva was collected and pharmacokinetic values were examined using high performance liquid chromatography according to first kinetic order. Blood samples were collected for examination of conventional liver function tests. All parameters were examined at the onset of the study and at 2, 6 and 12 weeks post dimethyl diphenyl bicarboxylate treatment. Thirty three hepatitis C patients complying to treatment follow-up protocol were compared to 15 healthy volunteers. Child-Pugh class B and C patients did not show any improvement in either antipyrine clearance or biological parameters, yet they were limited in number. Child- Pugh class A comprising 20 patients still did not show any improvement in antipyrine clearance, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase, apart from significant improvement in alanine aminotransferase. Therefore, it can be concluded that dimethyl diphenyl bicarboxylate did not improve the metabolic or biochemical liver function that was impaired due to hepatitis C virus infection.
Sanaa Botros , Rania Abdel-Kader , Maged El-Ghannam , Ahmed El-Ray , Samira Saleh and Madiha Mahmoud , 2007. State of Liver Metabolic Function after Dimethyl Diphenyl Bicarboxylate Treatment in HCV Patients Using Antipyrine Clearance in Comparison to Conventional Liver Function Tests . International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2: 101-106.