Understanding silibinin's modes of action against HCV using viral kinetic modeling.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Legalon® SIL (SIL) is a chemically hydrophilized version of silibinin that has exhibited high antiviral effectiveness against hepatitis C virus (HCV). Its main mode of action (MOA) remains unclear, with contradicting in vitro studies supporting either suppression of entry and cell-to-cell spread or suppression of viral RNA synthesis as the main MOA. We sought to provide new insights into SIL's MOA in HCV genotype-1/4 patients receiving intravenous SIL monotherapy for 7 days via mathematical modeling.

Methods

Changes in HCV RNA in 25 patients receiving 10, 15, or 20mg/kg/day of SIL were analyzed and modeled using viral kinetic methods.

Results

In 15 patients, the virus declined in a biphasic manner, in which a sharp drop between days 0 and 2 was follo

SUBMITTER: Guedj J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3328661 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature