Lamivudine and glycyrrhizin for treatment of chemotherapy-induced hepatitis B virus (HBV) hepatitis in a chronic HBV carrier with non-Hodgkin lymphoma

We report a chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier with non-Hodgkin lympho ma (NHL) who developed HBV hepatitis following conventional dose chemothera py and was successfully treated with lamivudine and glycyrrhizin. A 55 year -old male patient with primary testicular NHL (diffuse large B-cell type) r elapsed. During the salvage chemotherapy, the patient showed elevated serum levels of transaminase and HBV-DNA due to HBV reactivation. Treatment with lamivudine. an antiviral nucleoside analog, was started at a dose of 100mg /day. Shortly after the treatment the HBV-DNA level was suppressed, and sus tained elevation of transaminase levels were normalized after additional tr eatment with glycyrrhizin. This experience suggests that lamivudine combine d with glycyrrhizin may be effective:e for controlling HBV replication and treating chemotherapy-induced HBV hepatitis in chronic HBV carriers with NH L.