Lamivudine + oxymatrine

Lamivudine + oxymatrine is a combination therapy investigated primarily for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Lamivudine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that inhibits viral DNA synthesis by incorporating into the viral DNA and causing chain termination, thereby reducing HBV and HIV replication[2][5]. Oxymatrine is a phyto-derived small molecule with antiviral, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties; it has been widely used in China for chronic hepatitis B. The combination aims to enhance antiviral efficacy against HBV compared to lamivudine alone, reduce the incidence of drug resistance mutations (notably YMDD motif mutations), and improve clinical outcomes[1][4][6]. Mechanistically, oxymatrine may inhibit HBV replication through multiple pathways including downregulation of host proteins required for viral replication, modulation of immune responses (increasing Th1 cytokines), destabilization of heat-stress cognate 70 protein needed for HBV DNA synthesis, and interference with pregenomic RNA packaging[6]. Clinical studies suggest that this combination provides greater inhibition of HBV markers than either agent alone[1].

Other names

3TC + oxymatrine