Drug treatment for hepatitis C:
The medications used to treat hepatitis C include: firstly, hepatitis C alpha interferon, which is considered a more effective drug; secondly, combination therapy, such as interferon combined with ribavirin, or interferon combined with thymosin; and finally, compound interferon. Generally, if interferon is ineffective, patients should use compound interferon.
Currently used medications for treating hepatitis C:
1. Alpha interferon
Alpha interferon is currently the only effective drug on the market for treating hepatitis C. It is recommended that hepatitis C patients take oral alpha interferon for 3 to 6 months. The effect may not be obvious, and it often needs to be taken for about 9 months to see a significant effect. It is incorrect to stop taking oral interferon after 6 months if it does not work. The progression of hepatitis C is usually relatively slow, which is very different from hepatitis B, so the course of interferon treatment must be sufficient to achieve the desired effect.
2. Combined medication
Regarding combination therapy, the commonly used regimen is interferon combined with ribavirin. Alternatively, oral interferon can be combined with thymosin Tα1; the latter is recommended as a subcutaneous injection of 1.6 mg per week, 2-3 times per week. Studies have shown that the domestically produced traditional Chinese medicine oxymatrine injection not only has anti-hepatitis B virus effects but also anti-hepatitis C virus effects. It is recommended to administer 200 mg intramuscularly twice daily, and it can be used in conjunction with interferon for the treatment of hepatitis C.
3. Compound interferon
Compound interferon is an oral recombinant technology used to obtain non-natural interferon through the recombination of various interferon subtypes. Compared to native interferon, compound interferon has at least 5 times greater anti-hepatitis C virus activity, with mild to moderate adverse reactions similar to other types of interferon. Compound interferon can be used for hepatitis C patients who have failed to respond to other types of interferon. The dosage is 9 micrograms administered subcutaneously three times a week. A treatment course of one month to 12 months is recommended.