Research Article Details
Article ID: | A46818 |
PMID: | 14720455 |
Source: | Curr Gastroenterol Rep |
Title: | New concepts of the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease lead to novel treatments. |
Abstract: | Activation of methionine to S-adenosylmethionine is depressed in alcoholics. Its repletion opposes alcoholic liver cirrhosis in baboons, decreases mortality in cirrhotic patients, and opposes oxidative stress resulting from cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) induction by alcohol, ketones, and fatty acids. Their excess causes alcoholic and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. CYP2E1 is also induced in Kupffer cells, promoting their activation and release of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. The TNF-alpha inhibitor pentoxifylline decreased mortality from alcoholic hepatitis. Polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC), an antioxidant phosphatidylcholine mixture extracted from soybeans, 50% of which consists of the highly bioavailable dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine, restores phospholipids of the damaged membranes and reactivates their enzymes, including phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase, needed for phospholipid regeneration. In baboons, PPC prevented cirrhosis by stimulating collagenase and by opposing lipid peroxidation, which produces the fibrogenic hydroxynonenal. PPC was beneficial in patients with alcoholic hepatitis, and it opposed fibrosis in heavy drinkers and decreased aminotransferases in patients with hepatitis C. The antioxidant silymarin also successfully opposed alcoholic cirrhosis in baboons and in some but not all clinical trials; this effect also pertains to a-tocopherol. The anti-inflammatory corticosteroids and colchicine yielded mixed results. Finally, replacing long-chain with medium-chain triglycerides opposed the fatty liver experimentally and clinically. |
DOI: | 10.1007/s11894-004-0027-0 |

Strategy ID | Therapy Strategy | Synonyms | Therapy Targets | Therapy Drugs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
S03 | Anti-fibrosis | fibrosis | Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB); CCR2/CCR5 antagonist; Thyroid receptor β agonist; PEGylated human FGF21 analogue; Monoclonal antibody to lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2); Galectin-3 inhibitor; FGF19 variant | Losartan; Cenicriviroc; VK-2809; MGL-3196; Pegbelfermin; Simtuzumab; GR-MD-02; NGM282 | Details |
S04 | Anti-oxidative stress | oxidative stress | α-tocopherol: antioxidant | Vitamin E | Details |
S05 | Anti-inflammatory | inflammatory | Bile acid; TNF-a inhibitor; Dual PPAR-α and -δ agonists; Toll-Like Receptor; (TLR)-4 antagonist; Caspase inhibitor; ASK-1 inhibitor | Ursodeoxycholic Acid; Pentoxifylline; Elafibranor; JKB-121; Emricasan; Selonsertib; | Details |
Diseases ID | DO ID | Disease Name | Definition | Class |
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Drug ID | Drug Name | Type | DrugBank ID | Targets | Category | Latest Progress | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D258 | Omega 3 PUFA | Chemical drug | DB11133 | PPARG ligand; PPARA activator | Hypolipidemic drug | Under clinical trials | Details |
D266 | Pentoxifylline | Chemical drug | DB00806 | ADORA2A antagonist; ADORA1 antagonist; PDE4A inhibitor; PDE3B inhibitor; PDE4B inhibitor; PDE5A inhibitor; PDE8A inhibitor; PDE4C inhibitor; PDE11A inhibitor; PDE7A inhibitor; PDE7B inhibitor; PDE4D inhibitor; PDE3A inhibitor | Anti-inflammatory; Cardiovascular drug | Under clinical trials | Details |
D075 | Choline | Supplement | DB00122 | PLD2 product of; PLD1 product of | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D336 | Silymarin | Biological drug | DB14375 | -- | Antiviral; Antioxidant; Antifibrotic; Anti-inflammatory | Under clinical trials | Details |
D273 | Phosphatidylcholine | Chemical drug | DB15834 | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D316 | S-adenosyl-L-methionine | Chemical drug | DB00118 | GNMT cofactor | Antiviral | Under clinical trials | Details |
D125 | Epanova | Chemical drug | DB11133 | PPARG ligand; PPARA activator | Enhance lipid metabolism | Under clinical trials | Details |