The Influence of the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Treatment on Serum Levels of TNF-α， IL-6 and Endotoxin of Patients with Hepatic Failure

［Abstract］Objective To study effect of non-biologic artificial liver support systems with Chinese herbs colon dialysis on the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha，interleukin-6 and endotoxin in the treatment of liver failure. Methods Two hundred patients with hepatic failure，including the treatment group 100 cases and the control group 100 cases. Patients in the two groups received non-biologic artificial liver support systems and internal medicine therapy，patients in the treatment group were also given Chinese herbs colon dialysis with the different Chinese herbal formulas once every day on this basis. The serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels were determined by flow cytometer and serum endotoxin levels were determined by turbidimetric-kinetic method before treatment，1 weeks， 2 weeks，4 weeks after treatment. The differences in serum levels of TNF-α，IL-6 and endotoxin were compared between two groups. Results Compared with control group，the levels of serum TNF-α， IL-6 and endotoxin significantly decreased in patients 4 weeks after treatment in the treatment group（P＜0.05）. The total effective rate of the treatment group was 85%，the total effective rate of the control group was 60%.The therapeutic effect of the treatment group was significantly better than that of the control group （P＜0.05）. A significant positive correlation was found between serum TNF-α levels and serum endotoxin level（the treatment group: r＝0.977，P＝0.023；the control group： r＝0.962，P＝0.038）. A significant positive correlation was found between serum IL-6 levels and serum endotoxin level in the control group（ r＝0.967，P＝0.033）. Conclusion　Non-biologic artificial liver support systems with Chinese herbs colon dialysis can significantly decrease the serum levels of TNF-α，IL-6 and endotoxin of patients with hepatic failure，and improve the clinical efficacy.