Destabilized immune mechanisms play a leading role in the pathogenesis of parenteral hepatitis (viral hepatitis B and C) as well as in the course and outcomes of the diseases. Despite considerable experience in viral hepatitis treartment, including chronic ones, a number of issues concerning an optimal regimen are still being discussed with doses and the treatment with interferons (INF) as the current drugs of choice.

The fact that treatment with INF of one patient with the chronic form of hepatitis C costs $10,000-$15,000 propmpts the necessity of solving this issue.

In addition, this antiviral therapy prescription has a list of other indications, but interferons are sometimes poorly tolerated by patients and the host produces antibodies against recombinant interferons. For these reasons the search for agents with proven therapeutic effect in the patients with viral hepatitis is quite justified.

The first results obtained from adult patients receiving TF along with the conventional therapy attests to a high effectiveness of celular cytokines use in this kind of pathology. Along with the normalization of biochemical values and the decrease of viral load, all patients registered a marked improvement of the general state, were more efficient and did not experience excessive fatique, and there was no discomfort in the right hypochondrium.

Further studies with the patients with acute and chronic forms of viral hepatitis B and C, wherein patients were followed up for 6 months after the treatment, were carried out by the same authors. Fifty (50) patients with chronic viral hepatitis B and C and 15 patients with acute viral hepatitis B received TF, one capsule 3 times daily for 14 days. The resulting data were comparable to those obtained in patients receiving conventional treatment with interferons.

Twenty four (24) patients with acute hepatitis B and 34 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CVHC) received TF PLUS, 1 capsule 3 times daily for 14 days. The control group, 15 CVHC patients, received 3,000,000 IU of reaferon (an antiviral IFN) intramuscularly 3 times a week.

The remaining patients received basic therapy aimed at improving bile secretion (holosas or hophitol) and liver function (riboxin per os). Identical immunocorrecting effects were registered in the patient group receiving TF PLUS for 2 weeks and in the patients, receiving IFN therapy for 3 months.

In the patients receiving TF PLUS there were earlier symptom dynamics that were positive. TF PLUS was well tolerated and there were no side effects as compared with fever, joint pain and asthenia during interferon therapy. It is worth pointing out that the incidence of viral remission in the groups receiving reaferon and TF PLUS was the same, i.e. 65%. At the same time the level of g-interferons productions was significantly higher in the patients receiving TF PLUS.

The effectiveness of TF and TF PLUS in the treatment of viral hepatitis B and C may be of great help in considering the use of TF products as the alternative treatment to recombinant tnterferons or as an addition to the conventional therapies for viral hepatitis.

The data obtained indicates further studies of the effectiveness of TF products should be conducted in additional patients in order to develop the most effective schemes of complex treatment, pharmacologically effectiveness, the dose courses and the economics.