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Liver
Support with TCM
Liver Enzymes |
This information is
for educational purposes only.
Materials regarding herbs have not been evaluated by the
U.S. Food & Drug Administration and are not in any way a
replacement or substitute for professional medical diagnosis and
treatment. Persons with specific medical illnesses are advised
to seek professional care. |
ALT and AST elevation is an indication of liver cell damage or necrosis.
The degree of elevation can also represent the severity of the liver
inflammation. Generally, ALT and AST are good indicators for liver
inflammation. Once inflammation is reduced, the progression of liver
fibrosis can be held or even reversed. Thus, anti-inflammation therapy
is effective anti-liver fibrosis treatment.
In cases of mild chronic
persistent hepatitis, the level of these two enzymes is approximately
50% to 100% above the normal range (range is indicated by the testing
facility, usually a number between 0 and 50). If they are elevated to
three times or higher than the normal range, the inflammation is
considered moderate or severe. In cases of acute hepatitis or chronic
active hepatitis, ALT and AST levels can reach as high as 20 to 30 times
the normal range. At those levels, the inflammation in the liver is
involved with very active immune reactions and is often seen in
autoimmune hepatitis and medication induced hepatitis cases. Because the
immune system plays such a major role in the inflammatory process,
treatment must not only focus on protecting the liver but also regulate
immune reactions.
Sometimes liver enzyme
levels are not always parallel with the severity of the liver
inflammation. In the cirrhosis stage, when a biopsy indicates piecemeal
necrosis (grade III to IV inflammation), enzymes could be in normal
range or is only slightly elevated. This phenomenon is caused by the
dramatic decrease in the total number of the liver cells. Even if highly
inflamed, they are not producing enough enzymes to indicate inflammatory
activity.
Anti liver inflammation
herbal treatments can prevent liver cell degeneration, necrosis and
bring ALT and AST level down to the normal range. The following herbs
are commonly used to control liver inflammation and protect liver cells:
Wu Wei Zi (Schizandrae Fructus)
Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis)
Shui Fei Ji (Silybum marianum)
Ku Shen (Sophorae Radix)
Chui Pen Cao (Sedi sarmentosi herba), Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix)
The liver protective
effects of these herbs have been tested by animal models and clinically
in China. Modern Chinese medicine uses the more potent and stable
isolated active ingredient compounds, such as Schisandrin, Glycyrrhizin,
Silymarin, Oleanolic acid, Oxymatrine, and Saikosaponin A and D.
[Liu YL et al., Premary Discusion on the Use of Chinese Medicine
According to Blood Tests, CJITWM, Jan 2003, 23(1):54-55]
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