[Effect of Gandou Decoction IV combined with short-term decoppering therapy with sodium dimercapto-sulphonate on serum indexes of hepatic fibrosis in patients with Wilson' s disease].

Objective To observe the effect of Gandou Decoction Ⅳ (GDⅣ) on serum indexes of hepatic fibrosis and liver function in patients with Wilson’s disease (WD). Methods Sixty-one WD patients were assigned to two groups, 30 patients in the sodium dimercaptosulphonate (DMPS) group and 31 patients in the GDⅣ group. Both groups received 8 courses of DMPS treatment with 6 days as one course, and the GD Ⅳgroup was given GD Ⅳ additionally. Serum indexes of liver function were examined, serum matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were detected by double antibody sandwish ABC enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and serum hyaluronic (HA), laminin (LN), procollagen Ⅲ (PCⅢ) and collagen type Ⅳ (C-Ⅳ) were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Results After treatment, all indexes of hepatic fibrosis and liver function had no significant change in the DMPS group, while in the GD Ⅳ group, the serum TIMP-1 level markedly decreased (P0.05), the ratio of MMP-1/TIMP-1 significantly increased (P0.01), and serum indexes of liver function markedly decreased (P0.05), but the changes in serum levels of HA, LN and PCⅢ, as well as in serum MMP-1 and C-Ⅳ were insignificant (P0.05), though they showed a trend of decreasing or increasing, respectively. Conclusion Short-term decoppering treatment with DMPS alone has no significant effect on hepatic function and serum fibrosis indexes in WD patients, while combined with GD Ⅳ, it can improve liver function and display an anti-fibrosis effect through inhibiting the serum TIMP-1 level and increasing the ratio of MMP-1/TIMP-1.