Efficacy of combination therapy of the herbal formula and the Western medicine on Child-Pugh score in chronic liver failure patients at Prapokklao hospital

Abstract

Background: Chronic liver failure is a deterioration of liver function that occurs over a long period of time and Child-Pugh score is used to assess the prognosis of chronic liver disease. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy combination therapy of the herbal formula composed of Echinochloa crus-galli, Senna alata, Smilax glabra, Dioscorea membranacea, Rhinacanthus nasutus, Ananas comosus and the Western medicine on Child-Pugh score in chronic liver failure patients at Prapokklao hospital.

Method: Observational prospective, descriptive studies in a total of 42 chronic liver failure patients, treated with the combination therapy of the herbal formula and the Western medicine at Prapokklao hospital. The patients calculated the Child-Pugh score were performed before, during administration at 1, 2, 4 and 6 month compared with pair t-test analysis for level of significance at p < 0.05.

Result: The average comparison of Child-Pugh score was significantly decreased at the second, the fourth and the sixth month, they were 7.86 ± 2.01, 7.80 ± 1.98 (p = 0.643), 7.55 ± 1.78 (p = 0.036), 7.31 ± 1.79 (p = 0.004) and 7.24 ± 1.81 (p = 0.002). All of patients showed no side effects throughout the study period.

Discussion and Conclusion: The combination therapy of the herbal formula and the Western medicine for chronic liver failure patients at Prapokklao hospital improved Child-Pugh score, probably due to Smilax glabra and Dioscorea membranacea. Therefore it could be used the combination of herbal formula of Prapokklao hospital and Western medicine to treat chronic liver failure. Further validation of the study on the efficacy of medicine for reducing Child-Pugh score among herbal formula combine with Western medicine and only Western medicine.

Key words: Chronic liver failure, Herbal formula, Prapokklao hospital