Apitherapy May Help Patients with Chronic Hepatitis

Serum Transaminases Decrease in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients by Moroccan Euphorbia Resinifera Propolis

Presented at: 5th German Apitherapy Congress, March 23-25, 2007, Passau, Germany

Pr. Faid Mohamed
Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine
PO Box 6202 Rabat-Institute, Morocco
E-mail: faidmohamed@yahoo.fr

Abstract: Chronic hepatitis C often causes significant morbidity in subjects via fatigue and impaired quality of life. In previous studies, propolis extracts and other bee products such as royal jelly have shown to have a protective effect on hepatocytes in vitro as well as in vivo. This effect has been attributed to the antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties of propolis. However, limited information is available on its efficacy in improving liver chemistries and symptoms.

Interferon therapy, which is the only known way to decrease the virus copy and transaminases in the serum, would not really ensure a safe state years after the treatment. Thus, the present investigation was carried out to determine the long-term effect of the oil extract of Moroccan propolis from Euphorbia resinefera (an endemic plant in Morocco) on hepatitis C virus elimination in patients treated during the acute phase of viral hepatitis C…

Activities of the serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and the serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) were analysed before, during and after 10 months of the beginning of the treatment. Propolis oil extract was administrated orally three times in dose of 70 mg/kg BW, mixed with one tablespoon of multifloral honey one hour before the meal.

Results showed a significant decrease in SGPT and SGOP, as well as a significant inhibition of fatigue symptoms in all patients including those who had been resistant to the conventional therapy. Besides some digestive troubles observed in five patients during the first days of POE intake, no adverse events were occurred, and the POE was safe and well tolerated in all subjects.

These studies suggest that POE along with other adjuvant methods which could enhance the efficiency of bee products, have an improving effect on hepatic dysfunction, and may also confirm the beneficial effect of apitherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis, but this promising effect on virus C clearance should be confirmed in a randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled study involving more patients.