Besides the combination interferon/ribavirin treatment developed in 1998 (discussed in treatment), there have been no advances in a cure for HCV. Scientists experimented with the idea of using Chinese medicinal herbs as these herbs had gained popularity as an alternate medicine. For a period of one year, researchers at Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark tried different combinations of the herbs Bing Gan Tang and Yi Zhi against placebos and combination injection. They reported in April of 2001 that Chinese herbs made no impact in treating HCV and could even cause adverse effects.
Scientists are still experimenting with new ideas though. They hope first to develop a type of tissue culture system. This system will allow researchers to study HCV in more depth without harming a human host.
Researchers are experimenting with many new revolutionary antiviral agents. These agents include drugs that inhibit HCV reproduction by blocking the receptors on the virus itself. Since HCV is an enveloped virus, researchers are investigating enzymes that prevent the virus from detaching from other viruses and in turn, rendering the viruses useless. This treatment is also being experimented with the influenza virus.
Further study is taking place into the effects of Vitamin E. There exists sporatic nonscientific evidence that Vitamin E aids in the treatment of HCV. It is something of considerable interest.
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