Effects of cianidanol on the blood lipid peroxide status in patients with chronic hepatitis.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of the natural bioflavonoid compound cianidanol on the blood lipid peroxide status of patients with chronic hepatitis. Nine patients had chronic active liver disease--seven of them hepatitis B virus-positive--and five had chronic alcoholic hepatitis. Besides some biochemical liver function tests (serum bilirubin, aminotransferases and gamma-glutamyl transferase), the changes in the serum level of malondialdehyde (a thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) as one of the end-products of lipid peroxidation, as well as the quantity/or activity of enzymes controlling peroxidation (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase and catalase) were measured. In addition, the serum level of the natural antioxidant vitamin E was followed-up. Cianidanol treatment (at a dose of 3.0 g/day for one month and of 1.5 g/day for two months) resulted in a slight improvement in aminotransferases and a significant fall (normalization) of high serum malondialdehyde level. After a marked transient increase, serum SOD content decreased while glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities as well as the vitamin E blood level increased during the treatment. Results suggest that (cianidanol in vivo inhibits lipid peroxidation and influences antioxidant enzyme systems and vitamin E in the blood of patients with chronic hepatitis.