[Efficacy of combined use of ursodeoxycholic acid and heptral in the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis].

The efficacy of UDCA (10 mg/kg/day) in combination with SAMe (heptral, 800-1600 mg/day) vs UDCA alone was evaluated in the treatment of 19 patients (age 36-57) with primary biliary cirrhosis. It was found that the combination UDCA + SAMe promoted earlier and steadier disease remission. Normalization of biochemical parameters of cholestase (serum bilirubin, cholesterol, total bile acids, alkaline phosphatase, 5-nucleotidase and jamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) was recorded in 33%, and a significant reduction--in the rest patients. Heptral potentiates cytoprotective and anticholestatic actions of UDCA, but has a weak action on its immunomodulatory and antiapoptotic effects.