Ribavirin in acute viral hepatitis

Sixty-four patients suffering from acute viral hepatitis (excluding those suffering from hepatitis B) were selected for the double blind clinical trial. They were randomly allocated to either ribavirin therapy (200 mg four times a day) or placebo. Four patients were lost to follow up and therefore final analysis was carried out on 60 patients (thirty had received ribavirin and the rest placebo). Patients receiving ribavirin showed significant rapid improvement, with the disappearance of annoying symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, etc) and return of good appetite; moreover, the abnormal blood parameters showed significant rapid changes towards normal values in ribavirin treated patients as compared to those observed in placebo group. Ribavirin was well tolerated and there were no side effects. Since acute viral hepatitis is endemic with outbreaks of epidemics in many areas at various times and as yet there is no effective anti-viral drug available with the physicians in India, ribavirin is indeed a most welcome drug for its therapy.