OBJECTIVETo observe the antiviral efficacy of Ganneng Dripping Pill (GDP) in treating patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSEighty-four patients of chronic hepatitis B with positive HBV-DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg were randomly assigned to 2 groups, the treated group (56 patients) treated with GDP and the control group (28 patients) treated with lamivudine. The therapeutic course for both groups was 6 months. The negative conversion rate of HBeAg and HBV-DNA, changes of liver function, symptoms and physical signs in patients were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSIn the treated group, the negative conversion rate of HBV-DNA and HBeAg was 54.0% (27/50) and 30.0% (15/50) respectively, and the ALT normalizing rate was 80.0% (40/50), while those were 67.86% (19/28), 21.8% (6/28) and 75.0% (21/28) respectively in the control group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (all P > 0.05). However, the AST normalizing rate was 97.96% (48/49) in the treated group, higher than that in the control group (48.0%, 12/25, P < 0.01); and the clinical symptoms, especially the poor appetite, lassitude, gastric distention and yellow urine, were improved more significantly in the treated group than those in the control group (P <0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONGDP has a favorable short-term effect on chronic hepatitis B, it could effectively inhibit HBV replication and improve the liver function, symptoms and signs in patients.