Hepatitis

Diet and Nutrition: (references)

• Increase vegetable intake
• Avoid sucrose and all simple sugars
• Use lots of tumeric
• Eliminate alcohol

Vitamins and Minerals: (references)

• Vitamin B12: 1,000 - 3,000 mcg. daily to weekly, with folic acid for alcoholic hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis and viral hepatitis
• Vitamin C: 1 - 3 gm. TID - hepatitis A and serum hepatitis
• Vitamin E: 800 - 1600 I.U. for chronic hepatitis
• Zinc: 30 - 45 mg.
• Copper: 2 - 4 mg.
• Selenium: 200 - 300 mcg. - for hepatitis B, viral hepatitis

Supplements: (references)

• Methionine: 250 mg. QID - for halothane hepatitis
• Taurine: 4 gm. TID - for acute hepatitis but not chronic hepatitis
• L-Glutathione: 500 mg. BID away from food
• Thymus Glandular: 2 tablets TID - for viral hepatitis
• EFA : 1-5 gm. TID between meals
• Lipoic Acid: 300-600 mg. (especially for Hepatitis C)

Botanicals: (references)

• Dried herbs - Silybum, Taraxacum, Cynara, Bupleurum, Berberis, Curcuma, Foeniculum, Glycyrrhiza: 2 capsules TID

• Individual botanicals to be considered for this condtion:
  Berberis vulgaris (Barberry, Oregon grape)
  Bupleurum chinense (Thoroughwax)
  Curcuma longa (Tumeric)
  Cynara scolymus (Artichoke)
  Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)
  Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice)
  Schisandra chinensis (Wu wei zi)
  Silybum marianum (Milk thistle)
  Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion, Lion's tooth)

Homeopathic Remedies: (references)

• Acute Hepatitis:
  
  ACON, bell, kali-c, sulph
  
• Chronic Hepatitis:
  
  arn, aur, bell, carc, CARD-M, corn, crot-h, lach, LYC, mag-m, nat-c, nat-m, NAT-S, nit-ac, nux-v, PHOS, psor, ran-s, sel, sil, sulph
  
• Hepatitis from dirty needles:
  
  bapt, led, pyrog
  
• Hepatitis with jaundice:
  
  astac, cham, hep
  

(For an overview of Homeopathy, click here.)

Other Therapies: (references)

• Hepatitis IV therapy: 2 times a week
• Avoid acetaminophen (Tylenol) - it is very hepatotoxic
• Avoid excess iron

Recommended Labs:

• Check for Hepatitis A: HAV Panel
• Check for Hepatitis B: HBV Panel
• Check for Hepatitis C: HCV Panel
• Rule out actinomycosis: CBC with Diff, ESR, Alkaline Phosphatase, Organism Cultures
• Rule out alcoholoc liver disease: Liver Function, CBC with Diff, Liver Biopsy, Utrasound, CT Scan, MRI
• Rule out alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: A1AT
• Rule out amebiasis: CT and MRI of Liver
• Rule out ascariasis: Stool Ova and Parasite, Abdomenal X-Ray, CBC with Diff
• Rule out autoimmune hepatitis: ANA, SMA, Anti-LKM, Liver Biopsy
• Rule out Budd-Chiari Syndrome: Prothrombin, Liver Biopsy, Utrasound, CT, MRI, Hepatic Venography
• Rule out clonorchiasis: Hybridoma Cell Agglutination, ELISA
• Rule out cirrhosis: Liver Panel, CBC with Diff, Liver Function, Prothrombin, Liver Biopsy
• Rule out Crigler-Najjar Syndrome: Bilirubin (Conjugated and Unconjugated), Transferase, Liver Panel
• Rule out cytomegalovirus: CMV Antibodies IgM and IgG
• Rule out Dubin-Johnson Syndrome: Ratio of Urinary Coproporphyrin I to Coproporphyrin III, Liver Function, Prothrombin, Hepato-Biliary Scan using Radiopharmaceutical Dyes
• Rule out echinococcosis: Hydatid Antigen Detection, Indirect Hemagglutination for Echinococcus Antibodies, Indirect Florescent Antibody, ELISA
• Rule out Epstein Barr: EBV Capsid
• Rule out fascioliasis: Eggs in Stool, Hemagglutination for Fasciolia Antibodies
• Rule out fatty liver (steatosis): CT Scan, MRI, Liver Biopsy
• Rule out Gilbert Syndrome: CBC with Diff, Lactate Dehydrogenase, Liver Function
• Rule out glycogen storage disease: Creatine Kinase, Fasting Glucose, Urinalysis, Liver Function, Biochemical Assay of Enzyme Activity
• Rule out hemochromatosis: Hemochromatosis DNA
• Rule out histoplasmosis and other fungal infections: Culture, Antigen RIA, Histoplasmosis Antibody
• Rule out Kala-azar: Direct Agglutination
• Rule out leptosporosis: Indirect Hemagglutination for Leptosporosus Antibody, Cultures of Blood and Urine and CSF, Microscopic Agglutination Test
• Rule out liver cancer: Alpha Feta Protein
• Rule out malaria: OptiMAL Assay, NOW Malaria
• Rule out primary biliary cirrhosis: Liver Function, Ultrasound, Anti-Mitochondrial Antibody, Liver Biopsy
• Rule out pyrogenic abcess: Blood Culture, Liver Function, CBC with Diff, Abdomenal CT Scan, Liver Biopsy, Ultrasound
• Rule out sarcoidosis: Kveim, CBC wtih Diff, Serum Calcium, 24-hour Urine Calcium, ACE Level
• Rule out schistosomiasis: Schistosome Eggs in Urine and/or Stool, CBS with Diff, Schistosomiasis Antibody
• Rule out sclerosing cholangitis: Cholangiography, Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
• Rule out syphilis: VDRL, Darkfield Microscopy, RPR, MHA-TP
• Rule out toxocarasis: ELISA Anti-TES-Ag, IgG and IgE
• Rule out toxoplasmosis: Toxoplasmosis Blood Antibody
• Rule out tuberculosis: PPD Skin, QuantiFERON-TB
• Rule out ulcerative colitis, Crohns Disease: Colonoscopy with Biopsy
• Rule out Wilson Disease: Ceruloplasmin, Presence of Kayser-Fleischer Rings, Urinary Copper Excretion rate, Hepatic Copper Concentration using Radiolabelled Copper
• Rule out yellow fever: CBC with Diff, IgM ELISA, Polymerase Chain Reaction

*  The recommended use of this supplement or therapy is based on a physiological mechanism or empirical data and is not necessarily supported by peer-reviewed research studies.

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).