Efficacy of Stronger Neo‐Minophagen C compared between two doses administered three times a week on patients with chronic viral hepatitis

Background:A daily injection of glycyrrhizin (Stronger Neo‐Minophagen C (SNMC) containing 40 mg glycyrrhizin in a 20 mL ampoule) lowers alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.Methods:The therapeutic effects of intermittent administration of SNMC three times a week for 12 weeks were evaluated and compared between two doses (40 and 100 mL) in a randomized clinical trial.Results:Overall, the therapeutic response was better in the 53 patients allocated 100 mL than the 59 who were allocated to have 40 mL SNMC ( P  = 0.0243). At the completion of SNMC treatment, ALT levels decreased more extensively in the patients on 100 mL than those on 40 mL SNMC (−29 vs −50% in comparison with the baseline value, P  = 0.0002). Minor side‐effects occurred in both the patients on 100 mL (20%) and those on 40 mL (12%), but they did not require any therapies.Conclusions:Intermittent SNMC would be efficient in suppressing ALT levels in patients with chronic viral hepatitis in a dose‐dependent manner. Taken along with infrequent and very mild side‐effects, long‐term intermittent SNMC would benefit patients with chronic hepatitis by maintaining their quality of life with easier compliance. © 2002 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd