Cirrhosis of the Liver

The liver weighs about 3 pounds and is the largest solid organ in the body.  It performs many important functions, such as:

1. Manufacturing blood proteins that aid in clotting, oxygen transport, and immune system function.

2. Storing excess nutrients and returning some of the nutrients to the bloodstream.

3. Manufacturing bile, a substance needed to help digest food.

4. Helping the body store sugar (glucose) in the form of glycogen.

5. Ridding the body of harmful substances in the bloodstream, including drugs and alcohol.

6. Breaking down saturated fat and producing cholesterol.

What is cirrhosis?  

Cirrhosis ("suh-ROH-sus") is a very serious condition. It is a slowly progressing disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue, eventually preventing the liver from functioning properly.

The scar tissue blocks the flow of blood through the liver and slows the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs, and naturally produced toxins. It also slows the production of proteins and other substances made by the liver.

According to the National Institutes of Health, cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death by disease.

When a person has cirrhosis, scar tissue (fibrosis) replaces healthy tissue and prevents the liver from working as it should. For example, the liver may stop producing enough clotting factors, which can lead to bleeding and bruising.

Bile and poisons may build up in the blood.

Scarring can also cause high blood pressure in the vein that carries blood from the intestines through the liver (portal hypertension). This can lead to severe bleeding in the digestive tract and other serious problems.

Cirrhosis can be deadly. But early treatment can help stop damage to the liver.

What Causes Cirrhosis of the Liver?

Hepatitis C, fatty liver, and alcohol abuse are the most common causes of cirrhosis of the liver in the U.S., but anything that damages the liver can cause cirrhosis, including:

1. Fatty liver associated with obesity and diabetes.

2. Chronic viral infections of the liver (hepatitis types B, C, and D. Hepatitis D is extremely rare).

3. Blockage of the bile duct, which carries bile formed in the liver to the intestines where it helps in the digestion of fats. In babies, this can be caused by biliary atresia in which bile ducts are absent or damaged, causing bile to back up in the liver. In adults, bile ducts may become inflamed, blocked, or scarred, due to another liver disease called primary biliary cirrhosis.

4. Repeated bouts of heart failure with fluid backing up into the liver.

5. Certain inherited diseases such as:

• Cystic fibrosis.

• Glycogen storage diseases, in which the body is unable to process glycogen, a form of sugar that is converted to glucose and serves as a source of energy for the body.
  

• Certain inherited diseases such as:
  • Cystic fibrosis
  
  
  • Glycogen storage diseases - in which the body is unable to process glycogen, a form of sugar that is converted to glucose and serves as a source of energy for the body.
  
  
  • Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency - an absence of a specific enzyme in the liver.
  
  
  • Diseases caused by abnormal liver function, such as hemochromatosis, a condition in which excessive iron is absorbed and deposited into the liver and other organs, and Wilson's disease, caused by the abnormal storage of copper in the liver.

Although less likely, other causes of cirrhosis include reactions to prescription drugs, prolonged exposure to environmental toxins, or parasitic infections. 

Cirrhosis can have many causes.  Some of the main ones include:

1. Long-term, heavy use of alcohol - This is the most common cause of cirrhosis in the United States.  Alcoholic cirrhosis can develop after 10 or more years of heavy drinking (5 or more drinks a day for a man or 3 or more drinks a day for a woman).   

[See the picture to learn what one drinks.]

2. Chronic viral hepatitis - Cirrhosis develops in ab out 10 to 20 out of 100 people with long-term (chronic) viral hepatitis (mainly hepatitis B or C).

Often it takes up to 20 years or longer for cirrhosis to develop from hepatitis. It may happen much sooner in people with viral hepatitis who drink a lot of alcohol.

3. Auto-immune diseases - such as auto-immune hepatitis or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).  In some people, the immune system attacks the liver, causing inflammation that leads to cirrhosis.

4. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) - NASH is liver inflammation caused by a buildup of fat in the liver. Although the cause is not known, NASH seems to be related to some other conditions, including obesity, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and diabetes.

5. Blocked bile ducts - A disease called primary biliary cirrhosis develops when the ducts that carry bile out of the liver become inflamed and blocked. The exact cause is unknown, but it may be related to a problem with the immune system.

6. Inherited diseases - such as Wilson's disease, cystic fibrosis, or hemochromatosis. Cirrhosis can also be caused by a condition called alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, in which a protein collects in the liver and causes damage.

Less common causes of cirrhosis include severe reactions to medicines or long-term exposure to poisons, such as arsenic.  Some people have cirrhosis without an obvious cause. 

What are the symptoms?

You may not have symptoms in the early stages of cirrhosis. As it progresses, it can cause a number of symptoms, including:

1. Extreme tiredness and weakness
2. Nosebleeds and easy bruising
3. Weight loss
4. Belly pain or discomfort
5. Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
6. Itching
7. Fluid buildup in the legs, called edema (say "ih-DEE-muh"), and in the belly, called ascites (say "uh-SIGH-teez")
8. Bleeding in the stomach or in the esophagus, the tube that leads from the mouth to the stomach
9. Confusion

How is cirrhosis diagnosed?

The doctor will start with a physical exam and questions about your symptoms and past health. If the doctor suspects cirrhosis, you may have blood tests and imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan. These tests can help your doctor find out what is causing the liver damage and how severe it is.

To confirm that you have cirrhosis, the doctor may do a liver biopsy. This means he or she will use a needle to take a sample of liver tissue for testing.

How is it treated? 

It is important to get treated for cirrhosis as soon as possible.  Treatment cannot cure cirrhosis, but it can sometimes prevent or delay further liver damage.

Treatment may include medicines, surgery, or other options, depending on what caused your cirrhosis and what problems it is causing.

There are things you can do to help limit the damage to your liver and control the symptoms:

1. Do not drink any alcohol. If you don't stop completely, liver damage may quickly get worse.

2. Talk to your doctor before you take any medicines. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Drugs that can be dangerous include acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) and anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin, for example).

3. Make sure your immunizations are up-to-date. You are at higher risk for infections.

4. Follow a low-sodium diet. This can help prevent fluid buildup, a common problem in cirrhosis that can become life-threatening.

Symptoms may not appear until a problem is severe, so it is important to see your doctor for regular checkups and lab tests. You may also need testing to check for possible problems such as:

5. Enlarged veins, called varices (say "VAIR-uh-seez"), in the digestive tract. Varices can bleed.

6. Liver cancer. People with cirrhosis are at higher risk for liver cancer.

If cirrhosis becomes life-threatening, then liver transplant may be an option. But transplant is expensive, organs are hard to find, and it doesn't always work. For these reasons, doctors have to decide who would get the most benefit from a liver transplant. Ask your doctor what steps you can take now to improve your overall health so you can be a good candidate for transplant.

If your cirrhosis is getting worse, you may choose to get care that focuses on your comfort and dignity.  Palliative care can provide support and symptom relief so you can make the most of the time you have left.

You may also want to make important end-of-life decisions, such as writing a living will.  It can be comforting to know that you will get the type of care you want.

It can be hard to face having cirrhosis. If you feel very sad or hopeless, be sure to tell your doctor.  You may be able to get counseling or other types of help.

Think about joining a support group.  Talking with other people who have cirrhosis can be a big help.

B.E.E. (Bio-Enhanced Extraction) Process

What is B.E.E.?

B.E.E. (Bio-Enhanced Extraction) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7h45uYQtQ0 is a proprietary, patent-pending, manufacturing method that is comprised of a three-step process of isolation, purification and enhancement from bio-active parts of plants that have been determined to be the most beneficial for people.

B.E.E. is not just an extraction method nor is it just a chemical process.

B.E.E. is a combination of molecular biology and technology that covers the complete manufacturing process from species selection to the completion of the finished product. 

Why is the extraction method used during B.E.E. better than other extraction processes used in the industry today?

B.E.E. preserves the active ingredients in the herbs through our proprietary micronizing technique, while most traditional methods expose the herbs to high temperatures and pressures, which can destroy or severely damage the active ingredients.

The B.E.E. process does not expose the raw material to very high pressures or temperatures. During extraction, we use mainly water, regular water, extraction with the occasional help of sodium or the use of a centrifuge at a pre-determined speed.  No alcohol is ever used during the entire process.

Also, the extraction efficiency in other methods is relatively low and the botanical bio-activity can be destroyed during the process.

Further, the concentration vessel and heat exchanger produce sub-optimal yields of herbal concentrate.  A certain amount of concentrate is lost due to foaming, a certain amount of concentrate is burned at the bottom and sides of the concentration vessel and another concentrate becomes trapped in the heat exchanger.

 

In most traditional extraction methods, the concentrated liquid contains complex compounds that are both active and inactive.  Such compounds are then put into medicine.  The efficacy may not compare with the botanical active monomer further isolated from concentrate.  The chemical solvents used in many other methods today may not recycle completely and the residual chemicals may be harmful to the body.

In the traditional process, dealing with heavy metals is not paid sufficient attention.  Serious problems may arise, such as neural harm, kidney harm, and even cancer if they are taken for a long time or a large amount at one time.

Why are your products so fast-acting and effective?

Our products work so quickly and effectively because of B.E.E. (bio-enhanced extraction) process.

Currently, most herbal product manufacturers usually break the raw material into small pieces or powder prior to extraction.   However, most active ingredients in the botanicals are within the cell wall and the common extraction methods do not break the cell wall.

With B.E.E., we are able to break the cell wall by using our proprietary extra-micronizing smashing machine, so that the active ingredients disassociate out. These active ingredients are then used in our final products.

It is already a well-known fact that the micronized degree of the powder closely associates with the absorbency and bio-availability of the medicine.  The common smashing process which most manufacturers utilize hardly breaks the cell wall, so the active compounds inside do not come out completely. The effect of extraction is thereby not very satisfactory.

We use the extra-micronizing smashing machine that can turn the raw materials into powder as small as only 5 mm or less.   Under this size, the botanicals' cell wall has been mostly broken and the compounds inside dissociate out, so the efficiency of extraction during future steps may be increased.

Most of the unextracted ingredients that we put in our finished products have been extra-micronized so as to ensure more active compounds and better clinical effects.  The active ingredient is left with only the active constituent, which results in better absorption and assimilation.

Our product works on the cellular level bind to the cells more efficiently and is thereby more potent and targeted.

Can your products be taken in combination with prescription drugs, other supplements, and herbs?

Yes. So far, all of our products have been determined to be safe enough to be used in combination with prescription drugs, other supplements, and herbs.  There hasn't been a single reported incident to date of any harmful interactions using our formulas in combination with other products.

We have conducted full toxicity studies on all of our products and the results show that our products are non-toxic and extremely safe.  The results of the toxicity studies are outlined in detail on our website at www.hamidapharma.com.

However, if prescription drugs are currently being taken, one may wish to work closely with his or her doctor when deciding how and when to start using our products in combination with the prescription medication.

Sometimes it may be hard to tell which product is working if the prescription medication is still being taken at the standard dosage while adding our product.  We do not recommend reducing or stopping the use of prescription medication without the doctor's consent.  In a majority of the cases, reducing the amount of prescription medication while beginning to take one of our products generates positive results.

A person could then consult with his or her physician to determine whether or not to stop the use of the prescription drug to see if our product can generate positive results on its own.

We do recommend that the patient closely monitors his or her condition on a daily basis while using our products whether or not they are used on their own or in combination with other products.

Why are your products so expensive?

Our products may seem expensive when compared to most traditional herbal formulas sold on the market today, but keep in mind that no other product in the world is manufactured using the exclusive B.E.E. procedure.

B.E.E. is a very extensive, time-consuming process that results in such an incredible product. Through this process, we can get purified products that contain abundant active compounds and little impurity.

The extracting rate of this method is only about 2-5%, but common water extraction is about 30%, and alcohol extraction is about 15%.  This is because we have efficiently removed the impurity and liquid components.

Through these processes, we can remove the component that easily absorbs moisture and enhances the stability of the finished products.

Another important point is that the process can remove heavy metals very effectively and completely.

Besides the above method, according to the molecular recognition principle, our researchers have developed a new method that allows us to extract and isolate active compounds from complex botanicals.  We mainly use HPLC (combining with MS (Mass Spectrum) to complete isolation, purification, selection and identification of botanicals active compounds.

Our company also only uses the finest quality raw materials. Because of the fact that our extracting rate is only 2-5%, we have to use more raw materials than most manufacturers in order to produce a very potent and targeted end product.

Also, most herbal formulas in today's market have to be taken over a long period of time before positive results are obtained.  Because of B.E.E., the positive benefits of using our products are usually felt or seen within the very first dosage.

An individual using our products might have to invest a little more money in the beginning, but he or she usually ends up saving money in the long run because our products work so quickly in helping the body heal itself.

In most cases, our products need only be taken for a short period of time.   Many individuals who have used our products have reported that they felt completely better and no longer needed to take our products or they only needed to take the products occasionally for maintenance purposes.

People usually save money by using our products because they don't have to pay as much for prescription medication or spend as much money taking a bunch of supplements or other herbal products.

What makes your products different from other herbal formulas on the market today?

Again, our proprietary B.E.E. procedure results in an end-product that is unlike any other herbal formulation or supplement found in the world today.

During the B.E.E. process, our staff scientists employ innovative manufacturing methods that have never been used in the herbal industry previously.  No other company in the world performs the level of extraction or purification that we employ on a regular basis.

Also, our proprietary extra-micronizing smashing machine, which results in the effectiveness and fast-action of our products, is only used by our company at our manufacturing facility.

Are your products homeopathic?

No.  Our products are not allopathic or homeopathic.  They are considered herbal supplements or nutraceutical products.

Our products do work in similar ways to a homeopathic remedy in that they target the disorder by working in combination with the body's own natural healing process.  However, our products work because of B.E.E., not because of a homeopathic process.

Are your products organic?

Yes.  Our products are 100% organic, as are the extracts from the plants that we use.  We only use the finest quality herbs in our products and the only capsules that we use are veggie-caps.

Have your products been clinically tested?

Yes.  Some of our products have been clinically tested at well-known clinical trial sites.

We conducted an efficacy study of Hypertenol or HYPERTRIL at the Institut de Cardiologie De Montreal, an efficacy study of Arthritol at the University of Jilin in China and we are currently undergoing Phase 2 testing of Cardiopril or CARDIPRIL on humans at UC Irvine in California.

We are also about to begin small, clinical trials on each of our products using humans.   The studies should be completed in the first quarter of 2003.

Are your products solvent-free? Pesticide-free?  Free of heavy metals? Non-irradiated?

Yes. All of our products are solvent-free, pesticide-free, free of heavy metals and non-irradiated.

In fact, during the purification phase of B.E.E., we are able to reduce the levels of heavy metals to under 1.0 ppm.  The levels of heavy metals in our products never exceed 3.0 ppm.

We are also able to remove the sometimes harmful, natural plant toxins that are contained in the various plants used during manufacturing.

Again, the purification portion of the B.E.E. procedure is unlike any other method used in the herbal industry today.  Our toxicity studies showed no harmful side effects when taking our products at levels greater than 2000 times the standard dosage.

Are your products room temperature or low-heat processed?

All of our products are processed at room temperature. We do not expose our products to high temperatures because we feel that the active constituents could be genetically altered or even completely destroyed when exposed to certain high-temperature levels.

On some of your products, the ingredients that you have chosen to use have no scientific data supporting their useful function in targeting the disorders to which your products are intended.  How do you justify the use of such ingredients?

Each of our products is developed and manufactured based on the laws of science. Every formulation that we use has been demonstrated using specific theories and tests.

Some of the ingredients that we use in our products may not seem to associate directly with a certain disease on the surface, but that does not necessarily mean that the ingredient cannot be used for the specific disease.

The main principle that we adhere to during our formulation process is based upon the "whole body" theory.  We formulate our products to treat the body in its entirety as opposed to focusing on individual body parts or symptoms.

Our formulations combine the newest forms of scientific discovery, the highest levels of advanced technology and the foremost principles of folk medicine.  This combination of theories is what makes our products so unique.

For example, we use chamomile (B.E.E.) extract in our product for high blood pressure, Hypertenol or HYPERTRIL.  There is hardly any direct evidence indicating chamomile as useful for the treatment of high blood pressure.

Why did we then select this particular plant?

In Asian and European folk medicine, there were many precedents for using chamomile when suffering from high blood pressure.

We then conducted our own research and we scientifically determined that hypertension is related to impaired vascular endothelial nitric oxide and that nitric oxide and increased superoxide anion production may be controlled by certain antioxidants.

We then extracted active parts from chamomile that act as a very powerful antioxidant. We also scientifically determined that chamomile's antioxidant properties were only part of the reason why this plant is successful in normalizing high blood pressure.

Through testing, we were able to determine the other parts of the chamomile plant that helped to decrease high blood pressure, so we extracted those properties as well.  We also selected certain vitamins and minerals to support the chamomile's effect.
Recently, through the demonstration of pharmacological tests, Hypertenol or HYPERTRIL has an excellent effect on hypertension.