Liver Failure: From 1 Different Sources
Severe impairment of liver function that develops suddenly or at the final stages of a chronic liver disease. Because the liver breaks down toxins in the blood, liver failure causes the levels of the toxins to rise, affecting the functioning of other organs, particularly the brain. Liver failure may be acute or chronic. Symptoms of acute liver failure develop rapidly and include impaired memory, agitation, and confusion, followed by drowsiness. The functioning of other organs may become impaired, and the condition may lead to coma and death. Features of chronic liver failure develop much more gradually and include jaundice, itching, easy bruising and bleeding, a swollen abdomen due to accumulated fluid, red palms and, in males, gynaecomastia (enlarged breasts) and shrunken testes. Chronic liver failure may suddenly deteriorate into acute liver failure.
Acute liver failure requires urgent hospital care.
Although no treatment can repair damage that has already occurred in acute and chronic liver failure, certain measures, such as prescribing diuretic drugs to reduce abdominal swelling, may be taken to reduce the severity of symptoms.
Consumption of alcohol should cease in all cases.
The prognoses for sufferers of chronic liver failure vary depending on the cause, but some people survive for many years.
For acute liver failure, a liver transplant is necessary to increase the chances of survival.
The liver is the largest gland in the body, serving numerous functions, chie?y involving various aspects of METABOLISM.
Form The liver is divided into four lobes, the greatest part being the right lobe, with a small left lobe, while the quadrate and caudate lobes are two small divisions on the back and undersurface. Around the middle of the undersurface, towards the back, a transverse ?ssure (the porta hepatis) is placed, by which the hepatic artery and portal vein carry blood into the liver, and the right and left hepatic ducts emerge, carrying o? the BILE formed in the liver to the GALL-BLADDER attached under the right lobe, where it is stored.
Position Occupying the right-hand upper part of the abdominal cavity, the liver is separated from the right lung by the DIAPHRAGM and the pleural membrane (see PLEURA). It rests on various abdominal organs, chie?y the right of the two KIDNEYS, the suprarenal gland (see ADRENAL GLANDS), the large INTESTINE, the DUODENUM and the STOMACH.
Vessels The blood supply di?ers from that of the rest of the body, in that the blood collected from the stomach and bowels into the PORTAL VEIN does not pass directly to the heart, but is ?rst distributed to the liver, where it breaks up into capillary vessels. As a result, some harmful substances are ?ltered from the bloodstream and destroyed, while various constituents of the food are stored in the liver for use in the body’s metabolic processes. The liver also receives the large hepatic artery from the coeliac axis. After circulating through capillaries, the blood from both sources is collected into the hepatic veins, which pass directly from the back surface of the liver into the inferior vena cava.
Minute structure The liver is enveloped in a capsule of ?brous tissue – Glisson’s capsule – from which strands run along the vessels and penetrate deep into the organ, binding it together. Subdivisions of the hepatic artery, portal vein, and bile duct lie alongside each other, ?nally forming the interlobular vessels,
which lie between the lobules of which the whole gland is built up. Each is about the size of a pin’s head and forms a complete secreting unit; the liver is built up of hundreds of thousands of such lobules. These contain small vessels, capillaries, or sinusoids, lined with stellate KUPFFER CELLS, which run into the centre of the lobule, where they empty into a small central vein. These lobular veins ultimately empty into the hepatic veins. Between these capillaries lie rows of large liver cells in which metabolic activity occurs. Fine bile capillaries collect the bile from the cells and discharge it into the bile ducts lying along the margins of the lobules. Liver cells are among the largest in the body, each containing one or two large round nuclei. The cells frequently contain droplets of fat or granules of GLYCOGEN – that is, animal starch.
Functions The liver is, in e?ect, a large chemical factory and the heat this produces contributes to the general warming of the body. The liver secretes bile, the chief constituents of which are the bile salts (sodium glycocholate and taurocholate), the bile pigments (BILIRUBIN and biliverdin), CHOLESTEROL, and LECITHIN. These bile salts are collected and formed in the liver and are eventually converted into the bile acids. The bile pigments are the iron-free and globin-free remnant of HAEMOGLOBIN, formed in the Kup?er cells of the liver. (They can also be formed in the spleen, lymph glands, bone marrow and connective tissues.) Bile therefore serves several purposes: it excretes pigment, the breakdown products of old red blood cells; the bile salts increase fat absorption and activate pancreatic lipase, thus aiding the digestion of fat; and bile is also necessary for the absorption of vitamins D and E.
The other important functions of the liver are as follows:
In the EMBRYO it forms red blood cells, while the adult liver stores vitamin B12, necessary for the proper functioning of the bone marrow in the manufacture of red cells.
It manufactures FIBRINOGEN, ALBUMINS and GLOBULIN from the blood.
It stores IRON and copper, necessary for the manufacture of red cells.
It produces HEPARIN, and – with the aid of vitamin K – PROTHROMBIN.
Its Kup?er cells form an important part of the RETICULO-ENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM, which breaks down red cells and probably manufactures ANTIBODIES.
Noxious products made in the intestine and absorbed into the blood are detoxicated in the liver.
It stores carbohydrate in the form of glycogen, maintaining a two-way process: glucose
glycogen.
CAROTENE, a plant pigment, is converted to vitamin A, and B vitamins are stored.
It splits up AMINO ACIDS and manufactures UREA and uric acids.
It plays an essential role in the storage and metabolism of FAT.... liver
Cod-liver oil is derived from the fresh liver of the cod (Gadus callarius). It is a rich source of vitamin D, used in the prevention and treatment of RICKETS, and of vitamin A. Human milk contains more than enough vitamin D for the breast-fed baby, provided the mother has a balanced diet with adequate exposure to sunlight, or is taking vitamin supplements during pregnancy and lactation if considered necessary. All baby foods in the UK contain added vitamins, and therefore supplementation is unnecessary until weaning begins, and the baby starts taking cow’s milk, which contains less vitamin D than human milk. (See APPENDIX 5: VITAMINS.)... cod-liver oil
Fasciola hepatica is a parasite infesting sheep and occasionally invading the bile ducts and liver of humans (see FASCIOLIASIS).... liver fluke
A misnomer applied to the brown MACULES often seen on the backs of the hands of those chronically exposed to sunlight (see LENTIGO). They have no connection with any liver disorder.... liver spots
Failure of expected growth in an infant or toddler, usually assessed by comparing the rate at which a baby gains weight with a standardized growth chart. An undiagnosed illness such as a urinary infection may be the cause. Emotional or physical deprivation can also cause failure to thrive. A child who fails to grow at the appropriate rate needs tests to determine the cause.... failure to thrive
Inability of the heart to cope with its workload of pumping blood to the lungs and to the rest of the body. Heart failure can primarily affect the right or the left side of the heart, although it most commonly affects both sides, in which case it is known as congestive, or chronic, heart failure.
Left-sided heart failure may be caused by hypertension, anaemia, hyperthyroidism, a heart valve defect (such as aortic stenosis, aortic incompetence, or mitral incompetence), or a congenital heart defect (see heart disease, congenital). Other causes of left-sided heart failure include coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy.
The left side of the heart fails to empty completely with each contraction, or has difficulty in accepting blood that has been returned from the lungs. The retained blood creates a back pressure that causes the lungs to become congested with blood. This condition leads to pulmonary oedema.
Right-sided heart failure most often results from pulmonary hypertension, which is itself caused by left-sided failure or by lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (see pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive). Right-sided failure can also be due to a valve defect, such as tricuspid incompetence, or a congenital heart defect.
There is back pressure in the circulation from the heart into the venous system, causing swollen neck veins, enlargement of the liver, and oedema, especially of the legs and ankles. The intestines may become congested, causing discomfort.
Immediate treatment consists of bed rest, with the patient sitting up. Diuretic drugs are given, and digitalis drugs and vasodilators, especially ACE inhibitors, may also be administered. Morphine and oxygen may be given as emergency treatment in acute left-sided failure.... heart failure
Abscess of the liver caused by Entamoeba histolytica and often containing socalled “anchovy sauce” fluid.... amoebic liver abscess (ala)
The oil expressed from fresh, or suitably preserved, halibut liver. It is a particularly rich source of vitamin A (30,000 international units per gram), and also contains vitamin D (2,300– 2,500 units per gram). It is available in capsules as a means of providing the two vitamins. (See APPENDIX 5: VITAMINS.)... halibut-liver oil
Inefficient functioning of the kidney, leading to death unless acute medical attention is available. Envenomation (especially snake bite) is a common cause, as well as a range of medical conditions, including infection..... renal failure (acute)
Paul Bergner describes 4 cases of patients with chronic hepatitis C successfully treated. All were given Milk Thistle, and prescribed an alternative tea: equal parts, Burdock, Dandelion, Barberry, Liquorice, Cinnamon and Fennel. Chologogue action is important in chronic liver disease. Not used in acute inflammation. All patients felt better within 2 weeks, and had liver function tests at 3-monthly intervals, showing a gradual decline in elevated values until normal or almost so. All patients became symptom-free. (Medical Herbalism, Vol 6, No 4) ... liver – hepatitis c
Usually contracted in a tropical country during foreign travel. Likely to be associated with amoebic dysentery by the organism Entamoeba histolytica from contaminated drinking water or decaying foods (uncooked vegetables), foods exposed to flies. Onset of the disease may not be apparent until years after original infection. It presents with tenderness over the liver. On palpation, liver area is tender and the diaphragm elevated.
Symptoms. Fever, sweating, constitutional upset.
Differential diagnosis: diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, salmonella, carcinoma, bacillary dysentery.
Alte rnative s:– Blue Flag, Boneset, Burdock, Chaparral, Echinacea, Elecampane, Elder flowers, Eucalyptus, Fringe Tree, Milk Thistle, Marshmallow, Queen’s Delight, Thyme (garden), Wild Indigo, Wild Yam, Yarrow, Yellow Dock.
Tea. Combine: equal parts, Yarrow, Burdock leaves, Marshmallow leaves. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water: infuse 10-15 minutes; 1 cup freely.
Decoction. Echinacea 2; Fringe Tree bark 1; Yellow Dock root 1. 2 teaspoons to 2 cups water gently simmered 20 minutes. Half a cup freely.
Formula: Combine: Echinacea 2; Fringe Tree bark 1; Boneset 1; Goldenseal quarter. Dose: Liquid Extracts: 2-4ml. Tinctures: 4-8ml. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules, or one-third teaspoon). In water, honey, or cup of Fenugreek tea.
Cold puree. Pass Garlic corm through food blender. Eat with a spoon as much as tolerated. Blend with adjutants: carrots, raisins, apple. ... amoebic liver abscess
The LIVER may be extensively diseased without any obviously serious symptoms, unless the circulation through it is impeded, the out?ow of BILE checked, or neighbouring organs implicated. JAUNDICE is a symptom of several liver disorders, and is discussed under its separate heading. ASCITES, which may be caused by interference with the circulation through the portal vein of the liver, as well as by other reasons, is also considered separately. The presence of gallstones is a complication of some diseases connected with the liver, and is treated under GALLBLADDER, DISEASES OF. For hydatid cyst of the liver, see TAENIASIS. Liver diseases in a tropical environment are dealt with later in this section.
In?ammation of the liver, or HEPATITIS, may occur as part of a generalised infection or may be a localised condition. Infectious hepatitis, which is the result of infection with a virus, is one of the most common forms. Many di?erent viruses can cause hepatitis, including that responsible for glandular fever (see MONONUCLEOSIS). Certain spirochaetes may also be the cause, particularly that responsible for LEPTOSPIROSIS, as can many drugs. Hepatitis may also occur if there is obstruction of the BILE DUCT, as by a gall-stone.
Cirrhosis of the liver A disorder caused by chronic damage to liver cells. The liver develops areas of ?brosis or scarring; in response, the remaining normal liver cells increase and form regeneration nodules. Those islands of normality, however, suffer from inadequate blood supply, thus adversely affecting liver function. Alcohol is the most common cause of cirrhosis in the United Kingdom and the USA, and the incidence of the disorder among women in the UK has recently risen sharply as a consequence of greater consumption of alcohol by young women in the latter decades of the 20th century. In Africa and many parts of Asia, infection with hepatitis B virus is a common cause. Certain drugs – for example, PARACETAMOL – may damage the liver if taken in excess. Unusual causes of cirrhosis include defects of the bile ducts, HAEMOCHROMATOSIS (raised iron absorption from the gut), CYSTIC FIBROSIS, cardiac cirrhosis (the result of heart failure causing circulatory congestion in the liver), and WILSON’S DISEASE (raised copper absorption).
Symptoms Some people with cirrhosis have no signs or symptoms and the disease may be diagnosed at a routine medical examination. Others may develop jaundice, OEDEMA (including ascites – ?uid in the abdomen), fever, confusion, HAEMATEMESIS (vomiting blood), loss of appetite and lethargy. On examination, cirrhotic patients often have an enlarged liver and/ or SPLEEN, and HYPERTENSION. Liver function tests, cholangiography (X-ray examination of the bile ducts) and biopsy of liver tissue will help to reach a diagnosis.
Treatment Nothing can be done to repair a cirrhosed organ, but the cause, if known, must be removed and further advance of the process thus prevented. In the case of the liver, a high-protein, high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet is given, supplemented by liver extract and vitamins B and K. The consumption of alcohol should be banned. In patients with liver failure and a poor prognosis, liver TRANSPLANTATION is worthwhile but only after careful consideration.
Abscess of the liver When an ABSCESS develops in the liver, it is usually a result of amoebic DYSENTERY, appearing sometimes late in the disease – even after the diarrhoea is cured (see below). It may also follow upon in?ammation of the liver due to other causes. In the case of an amoebic abscess, treatment consists of oral metronidazole.
Acute hepatic necrosis is a destructive and often fatal disease of the liver which is very rare. It may be due to chemical poisons, such as carbontetrachloride, chloroform, phosphorus and industrial solvents derived from benzene. It may also be the cause of death in cases of poisoning with fungi. Very occasionally, it may be a complication of acute infectious hepatitis.
Cancer of the liver is not uncommon, although it is rare for the disease to begin in the liver – the involvement of this organ being usually secondary to disease situated somewhere in the stomach or bowels. Cancer originating in the liver is more common in Asia and Africa. It usually arises in a ?brotic (or cirrhotic) liver and in carriers of the hepatitis B virus. There is great emaciation, which increases as the disease progresses. The liver is much enlarged, and its margin and surface are rough, being studded with hard cancer masses of varying size, which can often be felt through the abdominal wall. Pain may be present. Jaundice and oedema often appear.... liver, diseases of
A primary lesion in the liver is rare. Usually invasion of carcinoma from the pancreas, gall bladder, stomach or intestines. Enlargement is rapid.
Symptoms. Jaundice. Ascites (excess fluid in the abdomen). Tenderness and enlargement of right upper abdomen; hobnail to the touch.
Alternatives: for possible relief of symptoms:–
Dandelion juice (fresh): 4 drachms (14ml) every 4 hours.
Wormwood tea freely.
Tea. Equal parts: Agrimony, Gotu Kola, Milk Thistle. Mix. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes. 1 cup freely.
Decoction. Dandelion 2; Clivers 1; Liquorice 1; Blue Flag root half. Mix. 30g (1oz) to 500ml (1 pint) water gently simmered 20 minutes. Dose: half-1 cup 3 or more times daily.
Tablets/capsules. Blue Flag root, Goldenseal, Prickly Ash.
Formula. Dandelion 2; Milk Thistle 2; Fennel 1; Peppermint 1. Mix. Dose: Powders: 750mg (three 00 capsules or half a teaspoon). Liquid extracts: 1-2 teaspoons. Tinctures: 1-2 teaspoons. 3 or more times daily.
Biostrath artichoke formula.
Practitioner. Dandelion juice (fresh) 4oz; Wahoo bark Liquid extract 10 drops. Violet leaves Liquid extract 10.5ml. Tincture Goldenseal 10 drops. Dose: 2 teaspoons in water thrice daily. To each dose add 10 drops Liquid extract Oats (avena). (W. Burns-Lingard MNIMH)
Vinchristine. Success has been reported following use of the Periwinkle plant (Vinca rosea).
Greater Celandine has been regarded of value.
Chinese Herbalism. See: CANCER: CHINESE PRESCRIPTION. Also: Pulverised t’ien chihuang (Hypericum japonicum) 1 liang, mixed with rock sugar, with boiled water, 3 times daily. Also of value for cirrhosis.
Epsom’s salt Baths (hot): to encourage elimination of impurities through the skin. Diet. Limit fats. Protein diet to increase bile flow.
Treatment by a general medical practitioner or hospital oncologist. CANCER – LYMPH VESSELS. See: HODGKIN’S DISEASE. ... cancer – liver
See brain syndrome, organic.... brain failure
See heart failure.... congestive heart failure
Liver problems appear as a sign of weakness shown by your organism after a prolonged consumption of alcohol, drugs or medicines.
The main characteristic of these affections is that they are due to system intoxication and need to be repaired as quickly as possible. The liver is the organ responsible for our molecular exhaustion.
All the toxins in our body go straight to the liver in order to clear the blood and detoxify the entire mechanism.
When the liver is not functioning well, the main symptoms are: fatigue, stress, vascular malfunction and irradiated pain from the liver area to the entire body. Unsolved liver problems may lead to kidney failure and then to pulmonary edema or other respiratory disorder.
How Tea for Liver Works
A Tea for Liver is a natural supplement that can calm your localized pain and bring relief to those suffering from this affection. The main ingredients of these teas are based on a great amount of nourishing substances that can reconstruct the damaged liver cells or at least increase their action.
However, these teas are not recommended for severe liver problems. If the pain is unbearable, a tea is most likely to calm it for a while and then lose its positive effect on your body. If that is the case, you should see a doctor immediately.
Efficient Tea for Liver
When choosing a Tea for Liver, you must keep in mind the fact that it must be safe and nourishing. You don’t need a tea that is rich in volatile oils or other substances that slow the liver cells’ action. If you are not sure about your abilities to choose the right tea, here are some suggestions:
- Green Tea – has all the necessary ingredients to sustain life. Also, its action includes nourishing the coronary system and the arteries, in order to enhance the blood flow through your organs
- Black Tea – more powerful than the Green Tea, the Black Tea is very effective, but more dangerous. If you’re also on your period or menopause, it’s best not to take it: it may cause abdominal acidity and discomfort.
- Yerba Mate Tea – or the new green tea, how the specialists are calling it. Yerba Mate Tea can be used as a cure in order to rejuvenate the liver, but also as a treatment in cases of low blood pressure or digestive tract infections. Pay attention, though: more than 2 cups of Yerba Mate Tea per day may lead to a series of nervous system complications and even death!
Teas you should avoid
If you are suffering from liver problems, it’s best to avoid taking a tea with an elevated level of vitamins or acids. Although vitamins get directly to your blood and none of them reaches the liver, they have a tendency to enhance your body’s action towards other affected areas.
In other words, they make your antibodies be more preoccupied with a random scratch than with your liver problems. A Tea for Liver needs to be specialized in internal affections and only attract antibodies to the most important damages.
Tea for Liver contraindications
When taken properly, any Tea for Liver is safe. However, high dosage may lead to a number of complications, such as diarrhea, nausea and even death.
If you’re not very sure about starting a treatment based on one of these teas, talk to a specialist in order to gather more information.
If there’s nothing that could interfere with your treatment, choose a Tea for Liver and enjoy its wonderful benefits responsibly!... tea for liver
Failure of the left ventricle to receive blood from the pulmonary circulation and to maintain efficient output of incoming blood to the arterial system. Failure to do so leads to congestion of blood in the lungs followed by fluid retention. If uncorrected, leads to kidney disturbance, low blood pressure, cyanosis (blueness of the skin). Onset may be tragically sudden.
Failure of the left ventricle may occur in cases of pericarditis, disease of the aortic valve, nephritis or high blood pressure.
Left ventricular failure is often of sudden onset, urgent, and may manifest as “cardiac asthma”.
Causes: blood clot, anaemia, thyroid disorder, coronary disease, congenital effects, drug therapy (beta blockers, etc), and to fevers that make heavy demands on the left ventricle.
Symptoms: breathlessness, wheezing, sweating, unproductive cough, faintness, bleeding from the lungs, palpitation. Cardiac asthma at night: feels he needs air; better upright than lying flat. Exertion soon tires. Sensation as if heart would stop. Blueness of lips and ears from hold-up in circulation of the blood through the lungs. Frequent chest colds. Awakes gasping for breath. Always tired. Cold hands and feet. Symptoms abate as compensation takes place. ‘Cream and roses’ complexion. The failure of left ventricle soon drags into failure of the right ventricle.
Right ventricular failure leads to congestive heart failure, with raised venous pressure in neck veins and body generally, causing oedema, ascites and liver engorgement.
Treatment. Agents to strengthen, support, and eliminate excess fluids from the body. BHP (1983) advises four main remedies: Hawthorn, Motherwort, Broom and Lily of the Valley. The latter works in a digitaloid manner, strengthening the heart, contracting the vessels, and lessening congestion in the lungs. Tinctures. Hawthorn 2; Stone root 1. Lily of the Valley 1. Dose: 15-45 drops thrice daily.
Broom tea. 2 teaspoons flowers, or 2-3 teaspoons tops and flowers, in cup water brought to boil and simmered one minute. 1 cup freely.
To remove fluid retention in the lungs, diuretics are indicated; chief among which is Dandelion root because of its high potassium content to prevent hypokalaemia. Dandelion coffee. As urinary excretion increases, patient improves.
Vitamin E. Not to be taken in left ventricular disorders.
Diet. See entry: DIET – HEART AND CIRCULATION.
UK Research. Researchers found that left ventricular failure was reduced by a quarter when patients were given magnesium intravenously for the first 24 hours after admission to the coronary care unit. They conclude that it should be given before any other heart therapy is commenced, and that patients should receive regular infusions if no other drug treatment is used. (The Lancet, 2.4.1994). This supports the use of magnesium sulphate (Epsom’s salts) by a past generation of herbal practitioners for the condition. ... heart – left ventricular failure (lvf)
A diagnostic test in which a small sample of tissue is removed from the liver, usually under local anaesthesia. The main function of this test is to diagnose liver diseases. (See also biopsy.)... liver biopsy
See cirrhosis.... liver, cirrhosis of
Failure of the right ventricle to hold its own with the return flow of blood and to re-direct it through the lungs where it is re-oxygenated before entering the left ventricle for completing the circulatory cycle. Usually secondary to failure of the left ventricle. May be caused by valvular disease, especially narrowing of the orifice of the mitral valve.
Mitral disease leads to heart failure either by a narrowing of the orifice (stenosis) or a regurgitation blocks the passage of blood from the left atrium (auricle) to the left ventricle. The left atrium enlarges (hypertrophies) in an effort to counter the impediment. Real compensation – increased thrust of the blood – is provided by the right ventricle. In order to overcome a mitral impediment the right ventricle has to enlarge.
Sooner or later the right ventricle cannot enlarge any further and general heart failure sets in. Though caused primarily by a lesion of the mitral valve, it may be secondary to left ventricular failure (LVF), thyroid disorder (thyrotoxicosis), pericarditis, congenital heart disease, or any disease which weakens ventricular muscle.
Venous congestion and back pressure of RVF leads to congestion and accumulation of fluid in the lungs, cough and spitting of blood, painful swelling of the liver, nausea, loss of appetite and severe wasting.
Where the right ventricle fails to move the blood forward as it arrives from the systemic circulation, generalised dropsy sets in. Congestion of the kidneys leads to reduced urinary excretion and presence of albumin in the urine.
The picture is well known to the cardiac practitioner: blueness of the skin, congestion of the brain circulation with sleeplessness and delirium. Soon the tension of water-logged tissues results in pain and extreme anxiety. Feet are swollen and ankles pit on pressure; chest cavities fill with fluid and the abdomen swells (ascites).
Alternatives. Cardio-tonics would be given to strengthen the ventricle and diuretics to correct fluid retention: Lily of the Valley, Hawthorn, Motherwort, Broom. BHP (1983).
Due to rheumatic fever: Hawthorn.
High Blood Pressure: Mistletoe.
Effort Syndrome: Motherwort.
Tinctures. Combine, Lily of the Valley 2; Hawthorn 2; Motherwort 3. Dose: 1 teaspoon thrice daily after meals.
Diet. Low salt, low fat, high fibre. Restricted fluids, vegetarian protein foods, yoghurt. See also: DIET – HEART AND CIRCULATION.
Supplements. Potassium (bananas), Vitamin B6.
General. Stop smoking. Correction of overweight. Complete bed-rest with legs raised above level of the abdomen and patient propped-up to relieve difficult breathing. ... heart – right ventricular failure (rvf)
Inflammation of the liver from virus infection. As the commonest form of liver disorder, it is often without jaundice or marked liver symptoms apart from general malaise and abdominal discomfort, ‘Gippy tummy’, ‘chill on the liver’. For feverishness, add a diaphoretic.
Treatment. Bitter herbs keep the bile fluid and flowing.
Alternatives. Teas. Agrimony, Lemon Balm, Boldo, Bogbean, Centuary, Dandelion, Hyssop, Motherwort, Wormwood, Yarrow.
Maria Treben. Equal parts: Bedstraw, Agrimony, Woodruff. 2 teaspoons to cup boiling water.
Cold tea: 2 teaspoons Barberry bark to each cup cold water. Infuse overnight. Half-1 cup freely. Tablets/capsules: Blue Flag. Dandelion. Wild Yam. Liquorice.
Formula. Equal parts: Turkey Rhubarb, Dandelion, Meadowsweet. Dose: Liquid Extracts: 1-2 teaspoons. Tinctures: 2-3 teaspoons. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). 3-4 times daily. Alfred Vogel. Dandelion, Devil’s Claw, Artichoke.
Antonius Musa, physician to Emperor Augustus Caesar records: “Wood Betony preserves the liver and bodies of men from infectious diseases”.
Preventative: Garlic. (Old Chinese)
Milk Thistle: good responses observed.
General. Bedrest until motions are normal. Enema with any one of above herb teas.
Diet. Fat-free. Fasting period from 1-3 days on fruit juices and herb teas only. Artichokes. Dandelion coffee. Lecithin.
See: COCKROACH, The.
Treatment by or in liaison with a general medical practitioner. ... liver – acute infectious hepatitis
See kidney failure.... renal failure
Regarded as more serious than Hepatitis A. A main symptom is a flu-like illness followed by jaundice. Transmitted sexually, blood transfusion or by infected blood as from contaminated needles used by drug abusers. It is the first human virus to be identified with cancer in man. High mortality rate.
Symptoms: nausea and vomiting, fever, dark urine, loss of appetite, skin irritation, yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of eyes, weakness and fatigue.
Treatment. Internal. Silymarin (active principle of Milk Thistle) has been used with good responses. (R.L. Devault & W. Rosenbrook, (1973), Antibiotic Journal, 26;532)
Wormwood tea. 1-2 teaspoons herb to each cup boiling water in a covered vessel. Infuse 10-15 minutes: 1 cup thrice daily.
Formula. Equal parts: Balmony, Valerian, Wild Yam. Dose: Liquid Extracts: 1-2 teaspoons. Tinctures: 1- 3 teaspoons. Powders: 750mg (three 00 capsules or half a teaspoon) thrice daily.
Astragalus. Popular liver protective used in Chinese medicine.
Phyllanthus amarus. Clinical trials on 78 carriers of the virus revealed that this plant effectively eliminated the virus from the body in 59 per cent of cases. Treatment consisted of 200mg dried powdered herb (whole plant minus the roots) in capsules, thrice daily for 30 days). (Thyagarajan, S.P., et al “Effect of Phyllanthus amarus on Chronic Carriers of Hepatitis B Virus.” The Lancet, Oct. 1988 2:764-766) External. Castor oil packs for two months.
Treatment by or in liaison with a general medical practitioner. ... liver – hepatitis b
A disease of the liver with hardened and fibrotic patches. Scar tissue obstructs the flow of blood through the liver, back pressure causing damage. As they wear out liver cells are not renewed.
Causes: damage from gall-stones, aftermath of infections, drugs; the commonest is alcohol. Usually made up of three factors: toxaemia (self-poisoning), poor nutrition, infective bacteria or virus.
Symptoms. Loss of appetite, dyspepsia, low grade fever, nosebleeds, lethargy, spidery blood vessels on face, muscular weakness, jaundice, loss of sex urge, redness of palms of hands, unable to lie on left side. Mechanical pressure may cause dropsy and ascites. Alcohol-induced cirrhosis correlates with low phospholipid levels.
Treatment. Bitter herbs are a daily necessity to keep the bile fluid and flowing. Among other agents, peripheral vaso-dilators are indicated. Regulate bowels.
Teas. Balmony, Milk Thistle, Boldo, Bogbean. Dandelion coffee. Barberry tea (cold water). Tablets/capsules. Calamus, Blue Flag, Wild Yam.
Formula. Wahoo 2; Wild Yam 1; Blue Flag root 1. Dose: Liquid Extracts: one 5ml teaspoon. Tinctures: two 5ml teaspoons. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Thrice daily.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum). Based on its silymarin contents: 70-210mg, thrice daily.
Practitioner. For pain. Tincture Gelsemium: 5-10 drops in water when necessary.
Enema. Constipation may be severe for which warm water injection should be medicated with few drops Tincture Myrrh.
Diet. High protein, high starch, low fat. Reject alcohol. Accept: Dandelion coffee, artichokes, raw onion juice, turmeric as a table spice.
Lecithin. Soy-derived lecithin to antidote alcohol-induced cirrhosis. (Study: Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center & Mount Sinai Hospital School of Medicine, New York City)
Supplements. B-complex, B12, C (1g), K, Magnesium, Zinc.
Treatment by or in liaison with a general medical practitioner or gastro-enterologist. ... liver – cirrhosis
A life-threatening condition in which the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood rises, and the amount of oxygen falls, due to disruption of the normal exchange of gases between the air in the lungs and the blood. Ventilatory failure may be due to brain damage or to depression of the respiratory centres by excessive doses of drugs such as morphine. Treatment may involve artificial ventilation or, in some cases, the use of respiratory stimulant drugs. (See also respiratory failure.)... ventilatory failure
a rare and life-threatening complication of pregnancy that usually presents in the third trimester with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, malaise, and abdominal pain. Liver function tests are abnormal and the features of *pre-eclampsia and often *HELLP syndrome are present. *Hepatic encephalopathy, *disseminated intravascular coagulation, and renal failure may develop, and the condition is associated with a high maternal and fetal mortality. Treatment involves a multidisciplinary approach, usually in an intensive care unit.... acute fatty liver of pregnancy
acute kidney injury (see AKI).... acute renal failure
Non-inflammatory simple passive congestion is usually secondary to congestive heart failure, injury, or other disorders.
Symptoms: headache, vomiting of bile, depression, furred tongue, poor appetite, lethargy, sometimes diarrhoea. Upper right abdomen tender to touch due to enlargement, pale complexion.
BHP (1983) recommends: Fringe Tree, Wahoo, Goldenseal, Blue Flag, Butternut bark, Boldo, Black root. Treatment. Treat the underlying cause, i.e. heart or chest troubles. Bitter herbs.
Alternatives:– Teas. Balmony, Bogbean, Centuary. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water infused 15 minutes. Half-1 cup 3 or more times daily.
Decoction. Dandelion and Burdock roots. Mix. One teaspoon to large cup water simmered gently 20 minutes. Cup 2-3 times daily.
Tablets/capsules. Blue Flag, Goldenseal, Wild Yam.
Formula. Dandelion 2; Wahoo 1; Meadowsweet 1; Cinnamon 1. Dose: Liquid Extracts: 1-2 teaspoons. Tinctures: 1-3 teaspoons. Powders: 750mg (three 00 capsules or half a teaspoon) thrice daily.
Alfred Vogel recommends: Barberry bark, Centuary, Boldo, St John’s Wort, St Mary’s Thistle, Sarsaparilla.
Epsom salt baths (hot) to promote elimination of impurities through the skin.
Diet. Fat-free. Dandelion coffee. Artichokes. Lecithin. ... liver – congestion
(ARF) a primary disorder of gaseous exchange (as distinct from failure of the mechanical process of breathing). The prototype of ARF is *adult respiratory distress syndrome, but the term sometimes also refers to disruption of any other part of the respiratory system, including the respiratory control centre in the brain with its *efferent and *afferent pathways.... acute respiratory failure
(CCF, congestive heart failure) see heart failure.... congestive cardiac failure
(ESRF, CKD 5) the most advanced stage of kidney failure, which is reached when the *glomerular filtration rate (GFR) falls to 15 ml/min (normal GFR = 100 ml/min).... end-stage renal failure
see nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; acute fatty liver of pregnancy.... fatty liver
the liver of a patient with *cirrhosis, which has a knobbly appearance caused by regenerating nodules separated by bands of fibrous tissue.... hobnail liver
see heart failure.... left ventricular failure
(MOF) see multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.... multi-organ failure
The liver is a common site of disease. The most significant liver conditions include alcohol-related disorders (see liver disease, alcoholic), hepatitis, and liver cancer. Disorders can also result from infection. Certain viruses cause hepatitis (see hepatitis, viral). Bacteria may spread up the biliary system to the liver, causing cholangitis or liver abscess. Parasitic diseases affecting the liver include schistosomiasis, liver fluke, and hydatid disease. Certain metabolic disorders, such as haemochromatosis and Wilson’s disease, may involve the liver. Other types of liver disorder include Budd–Chiari syndrome, in which the veins draining the liver become blocked. Occasionally, defects of liver structure are present at birth. Such defects principally affect the bile ducts; one example is biliary atresia, in which the bile ducts are absent. Because the liver breaks down drugs and toxins, damage to liver cells can also be caused through overdose or drug allergy. (See also jaundice; liver failure; portal hypertension.)... liver, disorders of
acute kidney injury caused by myoglobin that is released from damaged skeletal muscle (*rhabdomyolysis). This is usually the result of trauma and the condition was first recognized in victims trapped and crushed during the London Blitz. Muscle injury can also occur with pressure necrosis, particularly in the unconscious or immobile patient, or with a *compartment syndrome. Rarely it may complicate intensive muscular exercise or extensive viral myositis and it is a recognized complication of modest overexertion in some inherited disorders of muscle metabolism, such as *McArdle’s disease.... myoglobinuric acute renal failure
(NAFLD) a spectrum of conditions affecting the liver in the absence of excessive alcohol consumption. NAFLD is a common cause of referral for patients with abnormal liver function tests. Fatty liver is excessive fat accumulation in the liver seen as an area of brightness within the liver on ultrasound examination. Fatty liver does not lead to irreversible liver damage in the majority of cases. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is inflammation of the liver associated with accumulation of fat. It is often linked to insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and *metabolic syndrome. Treatment involves dietary modification, regular physical exercise, weight reduction, and management of underlying conditions (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, and hiperlipidaemia). NASH may predispose to *cirrhosis and may ultimately require liver transplantation.... nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
menopause occurring before the age of 40. It may be caused by autoimmunity, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or genetic factors, for example a mutation in the FSH receptor gene causing excess secretion of gonadotrophins and small underdeveloped ovaries. Treatment is by hormone replacement, either with the contraceptive pill or HRT. *Oocyte donation should be discussed if the patient wishes for assisted conception.... premature ovarian failure
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