The effect of Naftidrofuryl on ethanol-induced liver damage in chronic alcoholic patients

A prospective double-blind placebo-controlled trial of intramuscular Naftidrofuryl was carried out on 32 randomly selected hospitalized male alcoholic patients with clinical, biochemical and histological evidence of hepatic damage. Seventeen patients received the drug (40 mg in 5 ml i.m. three times daily for 6 days) and 15 patients received a placebo (5 ml in normal saline i.m. three times daily for 6 days). The drug was well tolerated and there were no adverse side-effects. Naftidrofuryl significantly improved the physiological function of the liver cells as reflected by indocyanine green (ICG) clearance by the liver (t = 2.61; p less than or equal to 0.02) and also caused a larger fall in raised serum levels of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) than did the placebo injections. Overall clinical improvement (e.g. appetite, body weight, reduced liver size, general sense of well-being) was more clearly evident in patients of the treated group than in those of the placebo group. Naftidrofuryl, therefore, appears to be of benefit in ethanol-induced liver damage and more extensive long-term trials are suggested in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD).