Jaundice and Chronic Viral Hepatitis (MCM) Part 3

Jaundice is a common symptom of chronic viral hepatitis and many liver diseases. It causes the skin and conjunctiva to turn into a yellowish color. Other symptoms related to jaundice are dark colored urine, pale stool, and itching skin. In blood tests, we can see elevation of bilirubin levels and GGT. The cause of the jaundice is a dysfunction of the bilirubin metabolism in the liver. The liver cells' functions of absorbing, conjugating, and secreting the bilirubin are deteriorated. This type of jaundice in chronic viral hepatitis is called hepatocytic jaundice. It causes both total and conjugated bilirubin to increase in the serum.

In chronic viral hepatitis patients, about 50% have showed to exhibit bile retention and gall stones. The bile retention and blockage of bile secretion by the gallstone or inflammation of the bile ducts can also cause jaundice. In this case, the bile is not secreting through its normal rout to the intestine and then eradicated with stool. Instead, it goes to the blood and flood on the skin, conjunctiva, causes them to turn yellowish. The bile acid deposit in the skin can also cause itching and the bile retention in the liver can injure the liver cells and promote liver fibrosis. In the advanced fibrosis stages, such as cirrhosis stage, progressively deepening jaundice is an indication of liver function failure. So, correcting the jaundice condition is very important in treating chronic viral hepatitis.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, jaundice is a condition considered as "dampness". If the dampness is associated with heat, the jaundice will be considered as "yang jaundice" which often happens during acute hepatitis, such as hepatitis A. If the dampness is associated with cold, the jaundice is considered as "ying jaundice" and often happened during chronic hepatitis, especially during advanced fibrosis stages.

Traditional Chinese medical formulas, such as formula number 188, Capillaris Combination (Yin Chen Hao Tang), which is good for "yang jaundice"; and formula number 190, Capillaris and Hoelen Five Formula (Yin Chen Wu Ling San), which is good for "ying jaundice". They are time-honored formulas have been used in TCM for jaundice for about two thousand years. With these herbal treatments, the jaundice will usually be released in about one month or so. If the jaundice does not release in this period of time, then a further examination to exclude any more serious conditions should be done.