Evaluation of the therapeutic effects of radix salviae miltiorrhizae on patients with chronic hepatitis by serum interleukin-6 and hyaluronic acid

Objective: To study the clinic value of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in evaluation the therapeutic effects of radix salviae miltiorrhizae (RSM) on patients with chronic hepatitis. Methods: serum IL-6 and HA were measured in 20 health blood donors and 32 patients with moderate degree of chronic hepatitis by using ELISA and RIA, and which were also determined in patients after RSM or glucose (control group) treatment for 4 weeks. Results: Serum IL-6 and HA in patients with chronic hepatitis were significantly higher than which in health donors, and their levels correlated positively with ALT and TBIL (P＜0.01, respectively). RSM therapy decreased significantly the levels of IL-6 and HA (P＜0.05, respectively), meanwhile declined serum ALT in the hepatitis patients (P＜0.01). Conclusion: Serum IL-6 and HA determination may provide some clinic value in evaluation of hepatocellular lesions and the RSM therapeutic effects on patients with chronic hepatitis. The results also suggest that RSM therapy may have some benefit for immune regulation in hepatitis patients.