Ayurvedic Treatment for Liver Disorders - Hepatitis - part 2

Ayurvedic Herbs/ Ayurvedic Medicine for Treating Liver Disease

Hepatitis A virus can be taken care of very easily with herbs. Many of the Ayurvedic herbs have shown remarkable results in clinical trials and studies. Some of these are Eclipta Alba (Bhringaraj), others are Boerhavia diffusa (Punarnava) , and Picrorhiza kurroa (Katuki). We can supply Concentrated Extracts in Tablet form of all these Herbs

It is recommend that people take these herbs on a prophylactic basis when travelling to parts of the world where hepatitis infection is a risk.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Hepatitis B / Hepatitis C :
HBV and HCV are more serious infections. We must be careful how we use Ayurvedic herbs for prevention of HBV and HCV. The herbs mentioned earlier have shown a protective action in HBV, and using them on a regular basis may be a good way to prevent HBV.
Ayurvedic medicines play a significant role in protecting the liver from cirrhosis and from liver cancer. Animal and clinical studies done with Phyllanthus Amarus, Phyllanthus Niruri, and Eclipta Alba have proven their ability to reverse HBV infections in approximately 60% to 70% of patients. More significantly, with these herbs we are able to stop the process, which leads to cirrhosis and cancer of the liver.

This means that even if we are not able to make some patients negative for HBV and HCV, we can still protect them from cirrhosis of the liver, in which the liver stops functioning, and liver cancer.
Take very good care of your health. To protect your liver, avoid alcohol and caffeine. Drink green tea, exercise, reduce stress, and use the herbs mentioned above. Give this hard-working and essential part of your body a rest and a tune-up, and you will be rewarded with better health, more energy and higher disease resistance.

Research work on Hepatoprotective Plants -

Andrographis paniculata (kalmegh)
Andrographolide, the active constituent isolated from the plant Andrographis paniculata, showed a significant dose dependent (0.75 - 12 mg/kg p.o. x7) protective activity against paracetamol-induced toxicity on ex vivo preparation of isolated rat hepatocytes. It significantly increased the percent viability of the hepatocytes as tested by trypan blue exclusion and oxygen uptake tests. It completely antagonized the toxic effects of paracetamol on certain enzymes (GOT, GPT and alkaline phosphatase) in serum as well as in isolated hepatic cells. Andrographolide was found to be more potent than silymarin, a standard hepatoprotective agent.^[4]
For centuries Andrographis has been an important herb in the Asian healing systems of Ayurveda, Unani and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditionally this herb has been used to potentiate immune system response to inflammation and infections, and as an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic (lowers fevers) and a hepatoprotective (liver protector).

Phyllanthus Amaris (Bhuiamala)
Phyllanthus Amaris has been researched for its effects on hepatitis, and in 1988 Thyagaran et al. (ibid) reported that 22 of 37 cases of Hepatitis B lost their "carrier" status after using the herb for a month. In the placebo control group only 1 person out of 23 had equivalent results! Read More about Bhuiamala>>>>

Boerhavia diffusa (Punarnava)
An alcoholic extract of whole plant Boerhavia diffusa given orally exhibited hepatoprotective activity against experimentally induced carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity in rats and mice. The extract also produced an increase in normal bile flow in rats suggesting a strong choleretic activity. The extract does not show any signs of toxicity up to an oral dose of 2g/kg in mice.^[7]

Eclipta alba (Bhringaraj)
The hepatoprotective effect of the ethanol/water (1:1) extract of Eclipta alba was studied at subcellular levels in rats against (CCl₄) -induced hepatotoxicity. The loss of hepatic lysomal acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase by (CCl₄) was significantly restored by Ea. The study shows that hepatoprotective activity of Ea is by regulating the levels of hepatic microsomal drug metabolising enzymes.^[6]

Swertia Chirata(Chirayata)
Simultaneous treatments with S. Chirata (in different doses, viz, 20, 50, and 100 mg/kg body wt daily) and (CCl₄) caused improvement at both biochemical and histopathological parameters compared to that of (CCl₄) treatment alone but it was most effective when S. chirata was administered in a moderate dose (50 mg/kg body wt).^[2]

Terminalia belerica(Baheda)
Compound I isolated from fraction TB5 of Terminalia belerica and finally identified as 3,4,5-trihydroxy benzoic acid (gallic acid) was evaluated for its hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) - induced physiological and biochemical alterations in the liver. Administration of compound I led to significant reversal of majority of the altered parameters. Our results confirm the presence of hepatoprotective activity in altered parameters. Our results confirm the presence of hepatoprotective activity in Compound I.^[3]

Tinospora cordifolia(Guduchi)
Outstanding results in people suffering from jaundice have been obtained using a herb called Tinospora Cordifolia: In 1993, Rege et al. (ibid) used the herb in malignant obstructive jaundice: half of the group received conventional treatment - drugs and drainage - the other half were treated with drainage plus T. Cordifolia. After conclusion of treatment, 50% of the drug-treated group were found to have blood poisoning while none of the herb treated group developed this problem. After surgery, only 40% of the drug-treated group survived, whereas an amazing 92.4% 0f those treated with the herb lived.
The hepatoprotective effect of T. Cordifolia has been studied in carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats. While acute damage was enhanced by prior exposure to the drug, it proved effective in the prevention of fibrosis, and in stimulating regeneration of hepatic tissue.^[1]

Picrorhiza kuroa (Katuki)
Picrorrhiza Kurroa is one of the herbs they recommend to support the liver not only in everyday situations, but in cases where severe viral infections attack: a 1996 study by Vaidya found protection against viral hepatitis, and other studies have demonstrated its helpfulness in protecting against alcohol.^[8]
The hepatoprotective activity of picroliv, the irridoid glycoside mixture from Picrorhiza kuroa, was determined in adult male albino rats. Pretreatment with picroliv prevented the hepatotoxic effects of paracetamol and galactosamine as evidenced by varios biochemical and histopathological observations. Maximum hepatoprotective effect was observed with daily oral doses of 6 and 12 mg/kg for 7 or 8 days. The antihepatotoxic action of picroliv seems likely due to an alteration in the biotransformation of the toxic substances resulting in decreased formation of reactive metabolites.^[4]

'AYURVEDIC HERBOLOGY' Today while learning and practicing Ayurveda and alternative medicine ; the knowledge of the Healing Herbs described in Ayurveda is very important. Learning the Herbs in Ayurvedic way is very important but in today's advanced world the updates and scientific information of the Herbs is also very useful for the treatment of a diseases. Salient features of these E-BOOKS are -- * Solid background chapters that provide essential guidance on all Herbology strategies and Ayurvedic treatment. * Commanding coverage of the full spectrum of Herbs by region, filled with insights into all disease conditions. *  An indispensable, authoritative overview of all Herbs, including every mode of Ayurvedic treatment procedure. * A practical look at Herbal Ayurvedic management, with an incisive examination of issues related to the monitoring of dosha conditions. * Exact description of new and innovative techniques in Ayurvedic Therapy. * Complete elaboration of All herbs.

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References
1. Rege, N. et al.: Ind. Drugs Sept. 544 (1984)
2. Mukherjee S, Sur A, Maiti BR. Hepatoprotective effect of Swertia chirata on rat. Indian J Exp Biol, 1997 Apr; 35(4):384-388.
3. Anand KK, Singh B, Saxena AK, Chandan BK, Gupta VN, Bhardwaj V. 3,4,5-Trihydroxy bezoic acid (gallic acid), the hepatoprotective principle in the fruits of Terminalia belerica-bioassay guided activity. Pharmacol Res 1997 Oct; 36(4):315-321.
4. Visen PK, Shukla B, Patnaik GK, Dhawan BN. Andrographolide protects rat hepatocytes against paracetamol-induced damage. J Ethnopharmacol 1993 Oct;40(2):131-136.
5. Saxena AK, Singh B, Anand KK. Hepatoprotective effects of Eclipta alba on subcellular levels in rats. J Ethnopharmacol 1993 Dec;40(3):155-161.
6. Chandan BK, Sharma AK, Anand KK. Boerhavia diffusa: a study of its hepatoprotective activity. J Ethnopharmacol 1991 Mar;31(3):299-307.
7. Ansari RA, Tripathi SC, Patnaik GK, Dhawan BN. Antihepatotoxic properties of picroliv: an active fraction from rhizomes of Picrorhiza
8. Vaidya (Better Nutrition June 1999 p. 29)