A NEW study suggests that reduced glutathione, when combined with standard entecavir therapy, can significantly improve liver function, reduce fibrosis, and enhance HBV-DNA clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). These findings could mark a major advancement in the treatment of CHB, offering patients a more effective strategy to manage the disease.
The randomised controlled trial included 90 CHB patients, who were randomly assigned to receive either entecavir alone (control group) or entecavir plus reduced glutathione (observation group) for three months. The researchers evaluated liver function markers, fibrosis indicators, and HBV-DNA clearance rates at multiple time points over 48 weeks.
The results revealed that patients receiving the combined therapy experienced significantly greater improvements compared to those in the control group. Key liver function markers, including ALT, TBIL, and ALB, showed notable enhancements, with ALT levels decreasing from 348.96 U/L to 31.11 U/L in the observation group, compared to 347.90 U/L to 56.90 U/L in the control group. Similarly, TBIL levels dropped more substantially in the combination group, while ALB levels increased significantly, indicating better liver function.
Moreover, fibrosis markers (HA, PC III, LN) significantly decreased in the glutathione-treated patients, suggesting improved liver tissue health. Notably, HBV-DNA clearance rates were significantly higher in the observation group at all measured time points, reaching 68.89% clearance at 48 weeks, compared to 42.22% in the control group. Importantly, the combination therapy did not lead to a higher incidence of adverse reactions, with rates of 8.89% in the observation group versus 20.00% in the control group.
These findings indicate that adding reduced glutathione to entecavir therapy could be a highly effective approach for managing chronic hepatitis B, particularly for improving liver function and accelerating viral clearance. The study supports further clinical adoption of this combination therapy and suggests that it could enhance long-term patient outcomes in CHB management.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Wei Q, Zhao, J. Therapeutic effects of reduced glutathione on liver function, fibrosis, and HBV DNA clearance in chronic hepatitis B patients. BMC Gastroenterol. 2025;DOI: 10.1186/s12876-025-03600-z.
