CAN STEM CELL THERAPY BE AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OPTION FOR LIVER CIRRHOSIS?

The liver is the largest solid organ in body and is vital to body’s metabolic functions and immune system. It performs large number of functions such as process nutrients, extract energy, filter toxic chemicals including alcohols from the body, help in blood clotting, store iron and many vitamins etc. Without a functioning liver, it becomes very difficult for person to survive.
Treatment approaches for Liver Cirrhosis

Liver cirrhosis is a slowly progressive disease in which scar tissue replaces the healthy tissues of liver. The formation of scar tissue prevents the liver functioning affecting the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs and naturally produced toxins in the body. Treatment for liver cirrhosis is very necessary; otherwise it can be fatal for a person. Currently, it is not possible to reverse the damage done to liver; however progression of disease can be stopped depending on the cause of it.
If you are having cirrhosis due to alcoholic liver disease, doctor will prescribe you to stop drinking completely. If non alcoholic disease has caused liver cirrhosis to you, doctor will recommend losing weight through physical activity and healthy eating for reducing fat, scarring in liver. Medications such as ursodial will be prescribed if you have liver disease due to hepatitis, infections, bile duct disease etc.
At advanced stage of liver cirrhosis, your doctor will consider a liver transplant after they have ruled out all other treatment options. The liver transplant is potential curative option, the high costs, lack of donors, immunosupression issues make it a limited option. There is a strong dearth for developing alternative treatment modality.

Stem cell therapy for Liver disease
With the advancements made in regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy is being explored by researchers for curing liver cirrhosis. Stem cells are the naïve cells of the body, which can be differentiated to any cells if provided proper enviornement. This remarkable potential of stem cells has been exploited by the medical science as a possible cure for a variety of debilitating diseases.
Various types of Stem Cells had been investigated as a regenerative therapy for liver cirrhosis. These stem cells include bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), bone marrow mononuclear cells (MNC) and peripheral CD34 positive cells. Some early studies have shown encouraging results in patients who had autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation.
The stem cells can be harvested from potent sources such as bone marrow or adipose tissue and can be injected back into the body at the targeted place. These stem cells then can be differentiated into liver cells with the help of certain growth factors and immunological factors such as cytokines. The stem cell injection can also be coupled with stem cells stimulation therapy, wherein resident stem cells are stimulated to multiply and differentiate inside the body as a booster effect.
A clinical study at PGIMER, Chandigarh carried out on patients of liver cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis through the Stem Cell Therapy that involved stimulating a patient's bone marrow by an injection called (Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (GCSF) that produces new cells called hematopoietic stem cells. With the stem cell therapy, the survival was better in the patients who have taken therapy. The patients showed improvement in nutrition, better control of ascites, reduction in liver stiffness, lesser infection episodes and improvement in liver function.
The use of stem cells for treating liver failure or liver cirrhosis is still at a very nascent stage, but in near future it will definitely come up as potential treatment approach for suffering with liver problem.

Lifestyle interventions to keep your liver healthy

Our lifestyle plays a very crucial role in maintaining one’s health. A liver is apparently a very important organ performing many different functions that are required to continue smooth functioning of our body mechanism. In order to maintain such a crucial organ in its functional state, it is thus utmost important to understand different good as well as bad lifestyle inventions, which influence smooth functioning of liver. Apparently, one should try to avoid parameters that are dangerous for liver and accept good habits, which can maintain it in a better form.

Alcohol poisons and promotes inflammatory responses in the liver. If alcohol abuse continues, it can lead to permanent scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). However, over three-fourths of the liver can be damaged before symptoms occur. If more than two alcoholic drinks are consumed each day, serious Liver Damage will eventually occur. The individual will tire more quickly since his blood is dirtier, and he will become more susceptible to infections, as well as brain and kidney dysfunction. Alcohol also thickens the blood and slows its circulation. It reduces the liver’s capacity to cleanse the blood from impurities and pathogens. Since any amount of alcohol burdens the liver and compromises its efficiency, why drink it at all?

Smoking and Tobacco consumption, smoking as well as tobacco consumption is suppose to be the major inducer of three major adverse effects on the body, which have been identified as increase toxin effects, immunological effects as well as oncological effects. It has known to increase the cytotoxic potential, leading to cellular death of the liver and fibrosis. It can thicken the blood to considerable extent that promotes the oxidative stress of hepatocytes.

Overeating, obesity, and excessive visceral fat (the fat stored in the abdominal organs) also damage the liver. Overeating generates more free radicals. Free radicals are unsteady molecules that are responsible for damaging the cellular membrane and DNA. As one of the primary function of liver is to detoxify our body from the free radicals, overeating magnifies this free-radical assault on the liver; leading to the functional reduction of the organ.

What can you do to save your liver?

Avoid alcohol and other risk factors for hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), such as poor personal hygiene, poor sanitation, intravenous street drugs, unsafe sex, body piercing, and tattooing. If working in a medical setting, use gloves when handling body fluids or drawing blood; consider the advantages and disadvantages of the hepatitis vaccine.

An individual who is obese or has a “pot-belly” needs to work on losing weight. If the liver has been infiltrated with fat, slow, steady, and permanent weight-loss is much kinder to the liver than fast weight-loss. Permanent weight loss, however, can reverse NAFLD. Rapid weight-loss promotes inflammation and fibrosis in the liver. Judicious weight loss has other benefits to offer. In an obese individual, even a modest weight loss will significantly improve blood-sugar levels and cholesterol and blood fat profiles.

Green leafy vegetables are high in antioxidants that help to protect the liver from the free-radical damage, it incurs by processing toxins. Chlorophyll (the green pigment of plants) reduces toxin absorption from the gut, thereby reducing the toxin load the liver has to handle. Chlorophyllin, a water-soluble derivative of chlorophyll, reduces the formation of DNA adducts from heterocyclic amines which damage the colon. (*a DNA adduct is a perverting junction of DNA and a cancer-producing molecule). Chlorophyllin also reduces the development of aflatoxin B1, a carcinogenic mold that damages the liver. Legumes offer special benefits to the liver. Soybeans, in particular, improve the antioxidant activity of the liver.

Thus, once the damage is done, it is very difficult to reverse the process with current therapeutic interventions; which suggest liver transplant as the only possible cure. Apparently, many people are already in a queue to get a suitable organ donor for their liver ailments, and even though they get an organ, it is highly unpredictable, whether the procedure is accepted by the body or not? However, with the technological innovations and scientific advancements, some of the alternative medicines such as Stem Cells Therapy can now be offered to stop further progression of liver damage and with the possibility of regenerating already damaged part to a great extent, in order to restore the liver function back.

Your peg can decide the Health of your Liver

We live in a world, where our population comprises of maximum talented youths. But the sad part may be that their lifestyle is confined only to gizmo gadgets, discos, pubs and alcohols.  Activities like night outs, lounging in the pubs, unnecessary show offs by smoking and drinking have become very common elements of urban lifestyles. However, it is a matter of concern that these malpractices are the principal causes of increasing health issues of the society.

Today, alcohol is widely available and aggressively promoted throughout our society; and continues to be regarded as a normal part of routine lifestyle.  However those who are indulging into unnecessary addictions should note that even a small amount of alcohol can have serious effects on your body. The studies have proved that even passive smoking, for that matter can cause life threatening complications to your near and dear ones.

While risking your health, liver is the one which is less immune to your alcohol adventure. The liver is a large organ who plays vital role in your body. It filters the blood of toxins, breaks down proteins, and creates bile to help the body absorb fat. When a person drinks alcohol heavily on a regular basis, the body starts to replace the liver’s healthy tissue with scarred tissue. And this is called alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis, which leads to a situation where your liver will stop functioning properly. Whatever is the reason behind being alcoholic, once you start, it is obvious to face number of potential health risks. Studies are evident to prove that young people who drink heavily may put themselves at risk for a range of potential health problems.

 It has been evident that between 10 and 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop liver cirrhosis. Alcoholic liver cirrhosis is the most advanced form of liver disease that’s related to drinking alcohol. The disease may start with a fatty liver and leads to the progressive damage of liver; ultimately causing liver cirrhosis. In general, the condition can be diagnosed with the physical examination or blood tests; however liver biopsy is generally performed to find out the level of tissue scarring. Although the liver cirrhosis is generally referred as the chronic stage of liver failure and liver transplantation with the matched donor is the only possible treatment for the same so far available.

With the advent of Stem Cells technology, some positive changes have been observed for the patients who have been suffering from the diseases. Stem cells are the naive cells of the body, which can be differentiated to become any cells, if treated with proper growth conditions. This remarkable potential of stem cells has been exploited by the medical science as a possible cure for a variety of debilitating diseases. Researchers have observed positive differentiation of stem cells in hepatic lineages and thus restoration of liver function back to a great extent. This was evident with improved liver function diagnostic tests.

At Advancells, they are exploiting the most potent stem cells isolated from patients own bone marrow or adipose tissue or may be both depending upon the assessment. They are providing very comprehensive, individualized treatment pattern, which is best suited for the patients undergoing treatment. In about 2/3rd of the patients, they have observed long lasting improvements in liver function, causing less tiredness, increased secretion of liver enzymes.

Liver diseases and availability of their treatments

The liver is the second largest organ in the body. It performs hundreds of complex functions, including fighting infections and illness, removing toxins, such as alcohol from the body, controlling cholesterol levels, helping blood to clot or thicken, and releases bile, a liquid that breaks down fats and aids digestion.

As Liver Disease doesn't usually cause any obvious signs or symptoms until it's fairly advanced and the liver is damaged, it requires immense care. Any trauma or disturbances in normal functioning of the liver can give rise to severe liver diseases, which can create havoc. Some of the well known liver diseases are listed below:

• Cirrhosis
• Liver Cancer
• Liver Failure
• Ascites
• Gall stones
• Hemochromatosis
• Primary Billiary Cirrosis

Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver caused by continuous long-term Liver Damage. Scar tissue replaces healthy tissue in the liver and prevents the liver working properly. The damage caused by cirrhosis can't be reversed and can eventually become so extensive that your liver stops functioning. This is called liver failure. Cirrhosis can be fatal if the liver fails. However, it usually takes years for the condition to reach this stage and treatment can help slow its progression.

Liver cancer is a condition that happens when normal cells in the liver become abnormal in appearance and behavior. The cancer cells can become destructive to adjacent normal tissues, and can spread both to other areas of the liver and to organs outside the liver.

Ascites is the accumulation of fluid (usually serous fluid which is a pale yellow and clear fluid) that accumulates in the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity.

Gallstones are small stones, usually made of cholesterol, that form in the gallbladder. In most cases they don't cause any symptoms and don't need to be treated.

Hemochromatosis is an iron disorder in which the body simply loads too much iron. This action is genetic and the excess iron, if left untreated, can damage joints, organs, and eventually be fatal.

Primary biliary cirrhosis, sometimes called PBC, is a disease in which the bile ducts in your liver are slowly destroyed. Bile, a fluid produced in your liver, plays a role in digesting food and helps rid your body of worn-out red blood cells, cholesterol and toxins.

With the help of the current advancements in the medical science, Stem Cells Technology can be a potential alternative to treat deadly diseases. Stem cells are the youngest cells of the body, which are capable of differentiating into many different cells with the help of proper secretion of growth factors and other cytokines. These remarkably potent cells are thus exploited by the healthcare sector to treat a variety of chronic illnesses, for which known domain of treatment is not present.

Here at Advancells, the treatment has been offered to patients who have been suffering from chronic liver diseases and desperately looking for the potential alternative treatment option to produce a cure, regenerate liver and regain the energy before being stuck down. The human bone marrow is an abundant source of resident stem cells, which can be effectively utilized for blood related disorders. They serve as a sort of cellular repair system, continuously subdividing, and giving rise to one stem cell and one tissue specific cell may be liver cell, which could potentially repair liver; that has been scarred or damaged by chronic liver diseases.