Therapeutic effect of histidine decarboxylase inhibitor on chronic active hepatitis

The effect of orally administered histidine decarboxylase inhibitor on liver function tests and histological appearance as well as on plasma histamine level were evaluated in biopsy proven 13 patients with chronic active hepatitis, whose liver function tests were refractory to other measures. Tritoqualine was used as histidine decarboxylase inhibitor and was administered in dose levels of 600 to 1,600 mg per day. Before treatment the average value of SGOT, SGPT and plasma histamine showed 252 +/- 24U, 318 +/- 152U and 15.2 +/- 5.5 microgram/L, respectively. Results obtained at six weeks' treatment, however, gave significantly improved values, indicating SGOP 57 +/- 24 (p less than 0.001), SGOP 40 +/- 28 (p less than 0.001) and plasma histamine 8.6 +/- 0.4 (p less than 0.001). Serum gammaglobulin also tended to fall (p less than 0.1). Marked improvement was noted in reexamined biopsied specimen, representing disappearance of fibrogenesis as well as round cell infiltration in and around the portal tract, together with pericellular fibrosis. Four cases have been proven to be healed. Despite long-term administration, no obvious side effect was observed. Investigation for HBsAg revealed to be positive in 4, however, no conspicuous difference was seen from that of negative cases in the improvement.