[Is a pharmacological treatment of liver cirrhosis possible?].

Loss of hepatic function is the limiting factor in survival of patients with cirrhosis. Fibrogenesis, cytolysis/necrosis and sinusoidal capillarization, altered composition of biomembranes, and hyporegeneration are identified as major factors in loss of hepatic function. Fibrogenesis has been successfully treated with colchicine. Cytolysis/necrosis in autoimmune hepatitis has for years been treated successfully with steroids: in postviral chronic hepatitis the interferons are showing high promise. Treatment of the other factors is the subject of intensive basic and clinical research.