56
Taipei City Medical Journal Vol.2 No.2 2005
Wan-An Lu
Effect of the Chinese Herbal Mebicine, Chia-Wei-Hsiao-
Yao-San, on Chronic Hepatitis
Objectives: This study compared the effects of Chinese herbs formulas on the chronic hepatitis in
the hospital patients. Previous studies showed that the spleen meridian seems especially important in
liver diseases, so we selected ”Chia-Wei-Hsiao-Yan-San” (Formula A) in order to add tonic to the
spleen meridian and improve the liver meridian while “Xiao-Chia-Hu-Tang” (Formula B) adds tonic to
the lung and the liver meridian. Methods: Eighty patients of chronic viral hepatitis (SGOT, SGPT above
normal but below 400 IU/L) were included in this study randomly and divided into A and B group. In
Group A, 33 patients were treated for three months with Chinese herbs (Formula A). For the same
period of time, 29 patients in Group B were treated with Chinese herbs (Formula B). The effects of the
treatment were evaluated by blood tests of liver function. Results: The Group A had decreased value
of SGOT from before treatment reading of 47.5±31.3 IU/L to after three-month treatment reading of 39.
8±26.7 IU/L and also decreased values of SGPT from before treatment reading of 72.0±52.7 IU/L to
after three-month treatment reading of 57.8±42.5 IU/L. Both readings were statistically significant being
p<0.01. On the contrary, the Group B had increased values of SGOT and SGPT after three-month
treatment. After three-month treatment, the SGOT and SGPT of the Group A were all significantly lower
than those of the Group B. Conclusion: Chinese herbs formula ”Chia-Wei-Hsiao-Yao-San”was more
effective in lowering liver inflammation than ”Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang” that is widely used by Japanese as
an effective treatment for liver diseases. This result is consistent with our hypothesis, and also matches
pulse studies as well as Chinese Medicine’s emphasis on maintaining the strength of the spleen in liver
disease because these two systems are very closely related.
Key words: chronic viral hepatitis, spleen