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Alcoholic HepatitisSFAHNCT04084522

Effect of Saturated Fat (Desi Ghee) on Gut-Liver Axis in Alcoholic Hepatitis

A study testing Saturated Fat- Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter) and Soyabean Oil in people with Alcoholic Hepatitis, run by Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, India at 1 site in India.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The pathogenesis of the alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a complex interplay of various etiopathological factors other than direct alcohol toxicity. These factors include inflammation \& oxidative stress, dysbiosis, intestinal hyperpermeability, and endotoxemia. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 60 years
Conditions the study is for
Alcoholic Hepatitis
What is being tested?
Saturated Fat- Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter) and Soyabean Oil
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
60 participants
Where
1 siteIndia
Study dates
1 Oct 2019to 31 Jan 2022
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 60 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • All patients with Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis
  • Aged between 18-60 years
  • Having Maddrey Score of >32
  • Last Intake of alcohol from 1 day to 60days
  • Patients who agree for complete alcohol abstinence from the day of enrollment

Who cannot join

  • Patients with-
  • Maddrey Score of <32 and >100
  • Comorbidities- Diabetes, Hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, Hypothyroid
  • Continuing Alcohol intake- Non-compliant patients
  • Constipation
  • On Laxatives until 1 month prior to study
  • On probiotics until 1 month prior to study

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

India1 site
  • Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences

    New Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi, 110070

Other trials in India

About this study

The pathogenesis of the alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a complex interplay of various etiopathological factors other than direct alcohol toxicity. These factors include inflammation \& oxidative stress, dysbiosis, intestinal hyperpermeability, and endotoxemia. Dietary fats not only improve nutritional status in ALD but specific properties of saturated fats (SF) have the potential to favourably modulate these causative factors. This project has two parts, in the animal study 10 groups of murine model of alcoholic hepatitis (AH) would be given SF in the form of Desi Ghee and in the human study patients with AH would be randomized into two groups, one with SF ( Desi Ghee) and the other with usual unsaturated fat (cooking oil). In all effect of SF on gut microbiota, hepatic steatosis, TLR-4 expression, serum adiponectin, endotoxin levels, intestinal tight junction proteins and inflammatory markers in murine models of AH, along with hepatic morbidity \& lipid profile, in patients with ALD would be studied.

Read the detailed description

Alcohol is one of the predominant causes of liver diseases and liver-related deaths worldwide. 10% of heavy drinkers consuming more than 30g /day of alcohol for 5 years develop alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The liver acts as a major organ in alcohol metabolism. Alcohol is metabolized to acetaldehyde, the key toxin in alcohol mediated liver injury which gets converted to reactive oxygen species (ROS) through oxidative pathway thus leading to hepatocyte injury. Several experimental and human studies have shown that alcohol also causes intestinal bacterial overgrowth, intestinal mucosal damage and enhances intestinal permeability, leading to translocation of bacteria and their by-products (like LPS) in the portal circulation. Bacteria further stimulate the production of ROS and pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha, IL-6, \& chemokines, thus further damaging the liver. Alcohol intake not only causes bacterial overgrowth but also brings a qualitative change in the type of bacteria. The number of gram-negative bacteria like Enterobacteriaceae / Proteobacteria - E.Coli, Firmicutes -Enterococcocus, Bacteriodetes- Fusobacteria and Staphylococaceae -Staphylococcus increase whereas the number of gram-positive bacteria viz. Firmicutes -Lactobacillus, Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae; Actinobacteria -Bifidobacterium decrease. This change is termed dysbiosis. Thus alcohol-related liver injury is potentiated by alcohol-induced gut barrier dysfunction and ensuing cascade of events, involving dysbiosis. Studies suggest that probiotic administration decreased alcohol-induced dysbiosis, TNF- alpha \& IL-6 levels, and improves gut leakiness \& liver inflammation. Probiotics also restore the level of lactobacilli thus creating more acidic environment, lowering the intestinal pH \& stabilizing mucosal barrier, thereby preventing microbial translocation \& blocking TLR-4 signaling cascade and attenuating liver injury. Hence there is evidence that suggests to targeting dysbiosis improves alcohol-related liver disease. Studies have also shown that lactobacilli use saturated fat (SF) for its growth and supplementing SF improves gut lactobacilli levels and subsequently decreases the progression of ALD. Low levels of microbial long-chain saturated fat caused due to alcohol compromise the growth of lactobacillus and hence disrupt gut barrier integrity. A large multicentre epidemiologic study in chronic alcoholics with comparable per capita alcohol intake has shown that intake of saturated fat is associated with lower mortality rates as compared to unsaturated fats (USF) Diet rich in SF has been found to prevent ethanol-induced changes viz. an increase in proteobacteria \& liver steatosis, which were actually increased with the consumption of USF. Yet another study reported that the SF diet improved intestinal tight junction expression and alleviated intestinal inflammation caused due to ethanol intake. Supplementation of long-chain fatty SF to ethanol injured mice with increased intestinal permeability restored metabolic homeostasis with decreased intestinal bad bacteria levels where supposedly saturated fat serves as a vitamin B substitute and promotes the growth of lactobacilli species which ameliorates alcoholic liver injury.

Alcohol induced disruption in the intestinal tight junction protein levels, endotoxemia and hepatic LPS signaling were found to be alleviated by SF in the form of medium chain triglycerides. Dietary SF (e.g., palm oil or MCT oil) reversed the established experimental ALD in rats, and improved liver histological changes despite continued intragastric ethanol administration.

Hence the supplementation of SF in ALD is a logical manoeuvre within the nutritional therapy of this disease, as almost 90% of these patients are malnourished primarily due to a reduced diet intake. Fats are concentrated source of energy which makes the food palatable, hence making the attainment of higher calorie (35-40 kcal/kg body weight/day) target possible. With this background use of SF in ALD is a promising modality in the medical armamentarium, given the fact that nutrition remains the cornerstone of the overall therapy.

Being tested
Saturated Fat- Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter), Soyabean Oil
Keywords
Alcoholic Hepatitis, Gut Microbiota, Dysbiosis, Malnutrition, Saturated Fat
Medical subject headings
Hepatitis, Alcoholic, Dysbiosis, Malnutrition

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Saturated Fat- Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter)Dietary supplement

    Desi Ghee which is also known as clarified butter contains around 70% of saturated fat. in India it is one of the important culinary items which promotes longevity and protects against various diseases, attributing numerous health benefits. Ghee consumption has also significant hypolipidemic and hypocholesterolemic effects.

  • Soyabean OilDietary supplement

    Soyabean Oil consists of around 84% of unsaturated fat and is the most widely used source of unsaturated fat used in the area.

Study groups in NCT04084522
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Standard Treatment GroupPlacebo comparatorIn addition to standard pharmacological treatment, this group would receive a diet comprising of 35-40 kcal. The total distribution of the calories would be as 55-60% from carbohydrates, 20% from protein and 30% from fat, a fixed amount of 50g of oil would be given and the remaining amount of fat would be met by the invisible dietary fat. The source of visible dietary fat would be refined soyabean oil. This group would not receive any fat in the form of Desi ghee or butter or any nutritional supplement other than the prescribed diet. The diet would be explained to the patient by individual diet charts.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Soyabean Oil
Intervention ArmActive comparatorIn addition to standard pharmacological treatment, this group would receive a diet comprising of 35-40kcal and 1.2-1.5gm protein per kg ideal body weight per day. The total distribution of the calories would be as 55-60% from carbohydrates, 20% from protein and 30-35% from fat, a fixed amount of 50g of ghee would be given in 3 divided doses of 30 ml to be taken raw, 20 ml to be used for cooking and the remaining amount of fat would be met by the invisible dietary fat. The source of visible fat would be exclusively Desi ghee. This group would not receive any fat in the form of butter or any other oil or any other nutritional supplement other than the prescribed diet. The diet would be explained to the patient by individual diet charts.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Saturated Fat- Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter)

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. To determine the improvement in cirrhosis dysbiosis ratio (CDR) associated with saturated fat in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis.

    The stool sample of the patients would be processed by 16s ribosomal RNA Gene sequencing to observe the diversity, abundance an evenness of the microbial community and thereafter Cirrhosis dysbiosis ratio (CDR) would be calculated at the starting and the end of the study i.e at baseline and at the end of two months.

    Measured: 2 months

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. To study the serum endotoxin (lipoploysacchride) levels in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis

    The collected blood sample would be assessed for endotoxin levels by using Toxin Sensor TM Chromogenic LAL Endotoxin Assay Kit

    Measured: 2 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 Sep 2019
  2. Study start1 Oct 2019
  3. Primary completion31 Jan 2022
  4. Study completion31 Jan 2022

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
60 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04084522
Sponsor's protocol ID
ILBS-SAH-01
Acronym
SFAH
Status last verified
Feb 2022
First submitted
31 Aug 2019
Last updated
31 Mar 2022
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Edenberg HJ. The genetics of alcohol metabolism: role of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase variants. Alcohol Res Health. 2007;30(1):5-13.

    PubMed 17718394
  • Keshavarzian A, Farhadi A, Forsyth CB, Rangan J, Jakate S, Shaikh M, Banan A, Fields JZ. Evidence that chronic alcohol exposure promotes intestinal oxidative stress, intestinal hyperpermeability and endotoxemia prior to development of alcoholic steatohepatitis in rats. J Hepatol. 2009 Mar;50(3):538-47. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2008.10.028. Epub 2008 Dec 29.

    PubMed 19155080
  • Mutlu E, Keshavarzian A, Engen P, Forsyth CB, Sikaroodi M, Gillevet P. Intestinal dysbiosis: a possible mechanism of alcohol-induced endotoxemia and alcoholic steatohepatitis in rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2009 Oct;33(10):1836-46. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2009.01022.x. Epub 2009 Jul 23.

    PubMed 19645728
  • Su GL, Rahemtulla A, Thomas P, Klein RD, Wang SC, Nanji AA. CD14 and lipopolysaccharide binding protein expression in a rat model of alcoholic liver disease. Am J Pathol. 1998 Mar;152(3):841-9.

    PubMed 9502426
  • Hritz I, Mandrekar P, Velayudham A, Catalano D, Dolganiuc A, Kodys K, Kurt-Jones E, Szabo G. The critical role of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in alcoholic liver disease is independent of the common TLR adapter MyD88. Hepatology. 2008 Oct;48(4):1224-31. doi: 10.1002/hep.22470.

    PubMed 18792393
  • Nanji AA, Jokelainen K, Tipoe GL, Rahemtulla A, Dannenberg AJ. Dietary saturated fatty acids reverse inflammatory and fibrotic changes in rat liver despite continued ethanol administration. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2001 Nov;299(2):638-44.

    PubMed 11602676
  • Kirpich IA, Petrosino J, Ajami N, Feng W, Wang Y, Liu Y, Beier JI, Barve SS, Yin X, Wei X, Zhang X, McClain CJ. Saturated and Unsaturated Dietary Fats Differentially Modulate Ethanol-Induced Changes in Gut Microbiome and Metabolome in a Mouse Model of Alcoholic Liver Disease. Am J Pathol. 2016 Apr;186(4):765-76. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.11.017.

    PubMed 27012191
  • Kirpich IA, Solovieva NV, Leikhter SN, Shidakova NA, Lebedeva OV, Sidorov PI, Bazhukova TA, Soloviev AG, Barve SS, McClain CJ, Cave M. Probiotics restore bowel flora and improve liver enzymes in human alcohol-induced liver injury: a pilot study. Alcohol. 2008 Dec;42(8):675-82. doi: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2008.08.006.

    PubMed 19038698
  • Chen P, Torralba M, Tan J, Embree M, Zengler K, Starkel P, van Pijkeren JP, DePew J, Loomba R, Ho SB, Bajaj JS, Mutlu EA, Keshavarzian A, Tsukamoto H, Nelson KE, Fouts DE, Schnabl B. Supplementation of saturated long-chain fatty acids maintains intestinal eubiosis and reduces ethanol-induced liver injury in mice. Gastroenterology. 2015 Jan;148(1):203-214.e16. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.09.014. Epub 2014 Sep 16.

    PubMed 25239591
  • Kirpich IA, Feng W, Wang Y, Liu Y, Barker DF, Barve SS, McClain CJ. The type of dietary fat modulates intestinal tight junction integrity, gut permeability, and hepatic toll-like receptor expression in a mouse model of alcoholic liver disease. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2012 May;36(5):835-46. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01673.x. Epub 2011 Dec 7.

    PubMed 22150547
  • Zhong W, Li Q, Xie G, Sun X, Tan X, Sun X, Jia W, Zhou Z. Dietary fat sources differentially modulate intestinal barrier and hepatic inflammation in alcohol-induced liver injury in rats. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2013 Dec;305(12):G919-32. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00226.2013. Epub 2013 Oct 10.

    PubMed 24113767

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Saturated Fat- Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter) and Soyabean Oil in people with Alcoholic Hepatitis, run by Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, India at 1 site in India.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 31 Mar 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in India. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

To determine the improvement in cirrhosis dysbiosis ratio (CDR) associated with saturated fat in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. (time frame: 2 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04084522, which also lists 11 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 31 Mar 2022.

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