Ask Your Questions About-HCV! of our Hepatitis Experts:

Taking herbals during treatment?

Dr. Chung-

I'm about to start treatment with Pegasys and RBV for my HCV. I've had HCV for about 25 years at best guess. My biopsy showed I am at stage 3 fibrosis and stage 3 inflamation. I'll assume a lot of the inflamation is from my HIV drugs. I'll know the genotype and viral load when I see him next. I've been taking herbals: silymarin (milk thistle), ALC, NAC, and others for my liver. Would you recommend that I continue or stop these while on treatment. I'll ask my doc when I see him but was wondering how you feel about it?

Thanks.

-P

answer from Dr Chung:

In general, we try to encourage stopping these herbals during treatment as it may be difficult to sort out what caused what. however, until controlled trials are done it is difficult to know whether they help or not. I understand that the NIH is conducting a trial of IFN and RBV with or without milk thistle. this will be of interest to all of us. RC