Phase I Trial of Silymarin for Chronic Liver Diseases

Exclusion Criteria

• •Subjects with any of the following will not be eligible for participation:
• •Use of silymarin or other milk thistle preparations within 30 days of screening
• •Use of other antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C, glutathione, alpha-tocopherol, within 30 days of screening. A multivitamin at standard doses will be allowed.
• •Allergy/sensitivity to milk thistle or its preparations
• •Use of silymarin or other antioxidants (as above) during the screening period.
• •Use of warfarin, metronidazole or chronic use of acetaminophen greater than two gram per day
• •Previous liver biopsy that demonstrated presence of cirrhosis
• •Previous liver biopsy that demonstrated greater than or equal to 15% steatosis or evidence of steatohepatitis for HCV cohort
• •Positive test for anti-HIV or HBsAg within 3 years of screening
• •Positive urine drug screen for drugs of abuse at screening
• •Alcohol consumption of more than one drink or equivalent (\>12 grams) per day. Patients who consumed more than this in the past must have maintained a level 12 grams or less per day of alcohol consumption for at least six months prior to screening.
• •History of other chronic liver disease, including metabolic diseases, documented by appropriate test(s)
• •Women with ongoing pregnancy or breast-feeding, or contemplating pregnancy
• •Platelet count \<130,000 cells/mm3.
• •Serum creatinine level \>1.5 times the upper limit of normal at screening, or CrCl 60 cc/min, or currently on dialysis. The creatinine clearance (CrCl) will be calculated according to Cockcroft-Gault.
• •Evidence of alcohol or drug abuse within 6 months prior to screening
• •Evidence of decompensated liver disease defined as any of the following: serum albumin \<3.2 g/dl, total bilirubin \> 1.5 mg/dl, or PT/INR \> 1.3 times normal at screening, or history or presence of ascites or encephalopathy, or bleeding from esophageal varices
• •History or other evidence of severe illness or any other conditions that would make the patient, in the opinion of the investigator, unsuitable for the study (such as poorly controlled psychiatric disease, coronary artery disease, or active gastrointestinal conditions that might interfere with drug absorption)
• •History of immunologically mediated disease (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, lupus erythematosus, autoimmune hepatitis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, severe psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis) that could affect inflammatory biomarkers
• •History of solid organ or bone marrow transplantation
• •History of thyroid disease poorly controlled on prescribed medications
• •Use of oral steroids within 30 days prior to screening
• •Concurrent medications that are CYP3A4 inducers
• •Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent or abide by the study protocol