Actos shows promising results in the treatment of Fatty Liver Disease
Good news for those with Fatty Liver Disease!
A drug that is known to treat diabetes has now shown promising results in treating Fatty Liver Disease. (Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) The drug Actos (pioglitazone) could reverse the symptoms and effects of fatty liver syndrome. Research on Actos was performed at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. The results of the conducted research were the first completed study on effective pharmacological intervention for this disease. (Read: Fatty Liver can be treated by pharmaceuticals)
In the study at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Dr. Kenneth Cusi, M.D. gave 55 patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and impaired glucose tolerance and/or type-2 diabetes a liver treatment plan for six months. The study consisted of two groups undertaking a low calorie diet. The first group undertook the low calorie diet and took Actos. The second group also group undertook the low calorie diet, but were given placebo medication. The treatment included the drug Actos in addition to a low calorie diet. After of six months on the low calorie Actos or placebo regimen both groups showed improvements with a reduction in liver inflammation. However the group that incorporated the low calorie diet and took Actos reduced the levels of fats in the liver by half. It also was said to have decreased their insulin sensitivity.
Fatty Liver Disease is very difficult to diagnose in the early stages. It enables the liver to suffer severe damage. It's scary to think that this disease can turn into cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is incurable and half of the patients die within five to ten years!
This discovery by the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio is significant in that the discovery of Actos impact on reducing the deterioration of the liver could prove to be life-saving and could prolong and improve the quality of life for people diagnosed with this disease.
The future looks bright for those with Fatty Liver Syndrome as University of Texas Health Science Center continues to work on perfecting this treatment. Additional studies call for testing on larger groups.