Current trends in the treatment of hepatitis C: interventions to avoid adverse effects and increase effectiveness of anti-HCV drugs

Authors

  • Ammara Saleem Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, GC University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Furqan Akhtar Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Muhammed Fahd Mushtaq Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, GC University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Saleem Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, GC University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Syed Taqi Muhammad Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Bushra Akhtar Institute of Pharmacy, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  • Ali Sharif Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Sohaib Peerzada Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2016-582

Keywords:

hepatitis C, anti-HCV drugs, interferon, sofosbuvir, nanoparticles, pegylation

Abstract

Viral hepatitis, an inflammatory liver disease, is caused by various genotypes of hepatitis C viruses (HCV). Hepatitis C slowly sprouts into fibrosis, which progresses to cirrhosis. Over a prolonged period of time compensated cirrhosis can advance to decompensated cirrhosis culminating in hepatic failure and death. Conventional treatment of HCV involves the administration of interferons. However, association of interferon with the adverse drug reactions led to the development of novel anti-HCV drugs given as monotherapy or in combination with the other drugs. Advances in drug delivery systems (DDS) improved the pharmacokinetic profile and stability of drugs, ameliorated tissue damages on extravasation and increased the targeting of affected sites. Liposomes and lipid based vehicles have been employed with polyethylene glycol (PEG) so as to stabilize the formulations as PEG drug complex. Sofosbuvir, a novel anti-HCV drug, is administered as monotherapy or in combination with daclatasvir, ledipasivir, protease inhibitors, ribavirin and interferon for the treatment of HCV genotypes 1, 2 and 3. These drug combinations are highly effective in eradicating the interferon resistance, recurrent HCV infection in liver transplant, concurrent HIV infection and preventing interferon related adverse effects. Further investigations to improve drug targeting and identification of new drug targets are highly warranted due to the rapid emergence of drug resistance in HCV.

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Published

2016-10-14

How to Cite

Saleem, A., Akhtar, M. F., Mushtaq, M. F., Saleem, M., Muhammad, S. T., Akhtar, B., … Peerzada, S. (2016). Current trends in the treatment of hepatitis C: interventions to avoid adverse effects and increase effectiveness of anti-HCV drugs. EXCLI Journal, 15, 578–588. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2016-582

Issue

Vol. 15 (2016)

Section

Review articles

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