Changes of peripheral lymphocyte population in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with herbal medicine (Maoto) and IFN-ß

We recently reported that the herbal medicine (Maoto) might have immunomodulatory effects when used in conjunction with IFN-β. In order to examine the relation between host immune reaction and virological effects upon treatment with Maoto and IFN-β, we monitored the changes in lymphocyte populations of peripheral Mood by flow-cytometry. Twenty-five patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled in this study. They received a daily dose of 6 mi ion units of IFN-β for 8 weeks. Maoto was given orally 4 times a day during the IFN-B administration, and we monitored the changes in lymphocyte populations of peripheral blood by flow-cytometry. Six patients were sustained virological responders (SR), 10 were transient responders (TR), and 9 were nonresponders (NR). The percentage of CD16⁺CD56⁺ lymphocyte populations was decreased in all groups between pretreatment and 4 weeks, but it was significantly increased in SR compared with TR and NR between 4 and 8 weeks. The percentage of HLADR⁺CD8⁺ lymphocyte populations was significantly increased in SR and TR compared with NR between pretreatment and 8 weeks. Our results suggested that monitoring of changes in peripheral CD16⁺CD56⁺ and HLADR⁺CD8⁺ lymphocyte populations could be useful to treat chronic hepatitis C with the combination therapy of Maoto and IFN-β.