Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of polyene phosphatidylcholine in combination with compound glycyrrhizin in the treatment of patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Methods 122 patients with DILI were encountered in our hospital between January 2023 and December 2024, and were randomly assigned to receive intravenous polyene phosphatidylcholine in control (n=61), or receive intravenous polyene phosphatidylcholine and compound glycyrrhizin combination in observation (n=61) for two to six weeks. Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) level was measured by radioimmunoassay, serum malondialdehyde (MDA) level was determined by biochemical colorimetry and serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) level was detected by velocity method. Serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were measured by ELISA. Cost/efficacy was calculated by medicine cost/effectiveness. Results By end of average four-week treatment, serum ALT, AST and ALP levels in the observation group were (56.2±9.3)U/L, (46.3±9.8)U/L and (90.6±10.2)U/L, all much lower than [(69.1±10.7)U/L, (59.5±10.2)U/L and (109.3±11.3)U/L, respectively, P<0.05] in the control; serum SOD and GSH-Px levels were (95.1±10.4)U/mL and (119.7±13.1)μmol/L, both significantly higher than [(73.4±9.2)U/mL and (95.3±11.9)μmol/L, respectively, P<0.05], while serum MDA level was (2.7±0.6)μmol/L, significantly lower than [(3.8±0.7)μmol/L, P<0.05] in the control; serum IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α levels were (7.2±1.6)pg/mL, (16.5±3.1)ng/mL and (7.5±1.8)pg/mL, all significantly lower than [(9.8±1.9)pg/mL, (22.4±4.0)ng/mL and (11.3±2.1)pg/mL, respectively, P<0.05] in the control group; medical cost in the observation group was higher than in the control, but the treatment effectiveness rate was 98.4%, much higher than 59.0%(P<0.05) in the control group. Conclusion Combination of polyene phosphatidylcholine and compound glycyrrhizin in dealing with patients with DILI could get a satisfactory effectiveness, which might be related to inhibition of oxidative stress and cytokine reactions.

Key words: Drug-induced liver injury, Polyene phosphatidylcholine, Compound glycyrrhizin, Oxidative stress, Cytokines, Therapy