Efficacy of Phyllanthus amarus for eradication of hepatitis B virus in chronic carriers.

Sixty-five adult asymptomatic chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus were enrolled to the randomized controlled efficacy study of Phyllanthus amarus. Thirty-four received Phyllanthus amarus 600 mg per day for 30 days and 31 received placebo in identical capsules. The conversion rate of HBsAg was 6 per cent in the study group at day 30. When 20 subjects in the Phyllanthus amarus group were given a further 30-day treatment and 22 placebo recipients given Phyllanthus amarus 1,200 mg per day for 30 days, the conversion was observed in 1 (5%) in the higher dose group. Adverse effects were not observed in all patients receiving the plant. The results indicated that Phyllanthus amarus, whole plant except root, grown in the central part of Thailand, given at the studied dosage and duration, had a very minimal effect on eradication of HBsAg from Thai adult asymptomatic chronic carriers.