EFFECT OF N-ACETYL-CYSTEINE ON LYMPHOMONOCYTE GLUTATHIONE AND RESPONSE TO INTERFERON TREATMENT IN C-VIRUS CHRONIC HEPATITIS

Background/aim. Much controversy exists concerning effect of N-acetyl- cysteine, a precursor of glutathione, on the response to interferon tr eatment in patients with C-virus chronic hepatitis. The aim of this st udy was to evaluate the efficacy of interferon therapy with and withou t oral N-acetylcysteine. We also measured glutathione concentrations i n lymphomonocytes of 25 patients with chronic C-virus hepatitis before and after interferon treatment and correlated the results with treatm ent response. Methods, Glutathione was extracted from lymphomonocytes and measured with a modified high performance liquid chromatographic m ethod in the 25 hepatitis patients and 12 healthy controls. Results/Co nclusions. 1) Hepatitis patients and controls had similar basal concen trations of lymphomonocytic glutathione; 2) neither interferon nor N-a cetyl-cysteine significantly affected glutathione concentrations in pa tients; and 3) N-acetyl-cysteine did not affect response to interferon .