Hepatotropic medicines: current status

Abstract

Limits of administration, efficacy and safety of hepatotropic drugs are not finally formulated yet because of lack of clinical trials which satisfy current principles of evidence-based medicine. The review analyses data on clinical use of drugs for which hepatotropic action is leading, prevalent or clinically independent; gives information on composition of some drugs, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, principles of clinical administration, side effects, clinical trials; outlines a mechanism of action and area of application of a new original hepatotropic drug remaxol. Experimental data are available on remaxol ability to reduce hepatic affection induced by hepatotoxic agents and severity of carbohydrate, protein and fat dystrophy, to activate regeneration of the liver. Clinical trials demonstrate remaxol efficacy in management of toxemia, cytolysis, cholestasis. The above effectiveness and its antiasthenic and antidepressive activity makes this drug a universal hepatotropic medicine effective in various hepatic diseases (viral hepatitis C, toxic and pharmacological damage) both in therapeutic and prophylactic schemes.

Keywords

• hepatotropic medicines
• hepatic diseases
• remaxol