EFFICACY OF POLYADENYLIC.POLYURIDYLIC ACID IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC ACTIVE HEPATITIS-B

In order to assess whether polyadenylic.polyuridylic acid [poly(A).pol y(U)] can be used as a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of chro nic hepatitis B, 19 patients with histologically proven chronic active hepatitis B were injected intravenously with 100 - 150 mg of poly(A). poly(U) weekly for six weeks. Changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT ) levels, 2'.5' -oligoadenylate synthetase (2'.5'-AS) activities and H BV markers were sequentially checked during and after treatments. Seru m ALT levels were decreased gradually and 2'.5'-AS activities were sig nificantly increased after initiation of poly(A).poly(U) injections. A t the end of this trial (24th week) we have observed the normalization s of elevated ALT levels in 14 (73.7%), negative conversion of HBeAg i n 11 (57.9%) and loss of HBV-DNA in 12 out of 19 patients (63.1%). Com plete responses which had both normalization of ALT levels and negativ e conversion of HBeAg were noted in 11 patients (57.9%) and partial re sponses showing either normalization of ALT levels or negative convers ion of HBeAg alone were in four out of 19 patients (21.1%). No notable adverse effects were observed during the treatments and follow-up per iod. It can be concluded that poly(A).poly(U) seems to be effective in the treatment of chronic active hepatitis B and has an advantage of b eing free of significant side effects.