Efficacy of Tiopronin in treatment of severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinicopathologic syndrome of which the main feature is diffuse macrovesicular hepatic steatosis caused by deposition of excessive free fatty acid and triglyceride in liver parenchyma. AIM: To observe the efficacy of Tiopronin in treatment of severe nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 30 patients with severe NAFLD were treated with Tiopronin for 3 months. 30 healthy people were selected as control. The body mass index (BMI) and plasma levels of endotoxin (ET), leptin, IL-6 and IL-8 were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: The serum levels of ET, leptin, IL-6 and IL-8 in severe NAFLD group were significantly higher than those in control group (p < 0.05). After treatment with Tiopronin, these indexes were significantly lower than before (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The intestinal endotoxemia (IETM) occurs in patients with severe NAFLD. Leptin, IL-6 and IL-8 play important roles in pathogenesis of NAFLD. Tiopronin can reduce the levels of ET, leptin, IL-6 and IL-8 for treatment of NAFLD.