Effects of medroxyprogesterone on the liver function and drug metabolism of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis.

Effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate on the clinical course of six patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and chronic active hepatitis (CAH) were investigated. The response in all subjects was good; the subjective symptoms decreased, the liver function tests showed a tendency towards normal values. Furthermore, the levels of serum antibodies declined and the hepatic metabolic ability, as tested by serum albumin levels and indices of drug metabolism, improved. The beneficial influence of progesterone on the patients may be due to the immunosuppressive effect and enhancement of protein synthesis. The results suggest that medroxyprogesterone may be a valuable alternative for patients with autoimmune liver disease, particularly in cases developing resistance or undesirable reactions to the previous therapy.