Lactoferrin inhibits lipid peroxidation in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Lactoferrin is a milk protein with inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation induced by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) monotherapy on lipid peroxidation, hepatic inflammation and iron metabolism in patients with CHC. Ninety Japanese patients with CHC were randomly assigned to two groups: bLF group (n = 47) treated with bLF at a dose of 3.6 g/day and a control group (n = 43) that remained untreated. Plasma 8-isoprostane levels and clinical laboratory data including iron metabolism parameters were measured. Plasma 8-isoprostatne level was significantly decreased from 8.6 ± 3.7 to 6.9 ± 2.1 pg/ml in the bLF group (P < 0.05). Plasma levels of 8-isoprostane did not significantly change in the control group. The decline in plasma 8-isoprostane levels was positively correlated with improvement in the level of ALT in the bLF group. No significant change in serum HCV RNA levels or iron metabolism markers was found after bLF treatment. Therapy with bLF was associated with improvement in lipid peroxidation and ALT levels in CHC. Administration of bLF is a promising therapeutic approach for suppressing oxidative stress in non-responders to antiviral therapy.