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NCT Number: NCT05042245

The Efficacy and Safety of Ornithine Aspartic Acid Granules in NAFLD Against Silymarin Capsules

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, and positive control clinic trial which explores the efficacy and safety of ornithine aspartate granules in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease against silymarin capsules. The hypothesis is that the ornithine aspartate granules have similar or better efficacy than the silymarin capsules.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

Primary location

Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200092, China

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 1. Consistent with NAFLD diagnosis criteria, and during previous one month, the B-mode ultrasonography showed diffuse fatty liver and Fibroscan test showed that CAP value > 248 db/m;
  • 2. During previous one month, serum ALT level was higher than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal.
  • 3. BMI is not more than 30 kg/m2.
  • 4. Voluntary to participate in the research and signed a written informed consent to comply with the trial protocol.

Exclusion criteria

  • 1. Hereditary metabolic or autoimmune liver disease, hepatotropic and non-hepatotropic virus infection, drug/toxic/alcoholic/biliary liver injury, or any end-stage liver disease; fatty liver disease caused by one of the following reasons: total parenteral nutrition, inflammatory bowel disease, hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, beta-lipoprotein deficiency and some insulin resistance (IR) related syndromes (lipid atrophic diabetes, Mauriac syndrome);
  • 2. Hepatic or extrahepatic malignant tumors;
  • 3. Severe heart failure or renal failure (serum creatinine > 3mg/100mL);
  • 4. Allergic constitution, or allergic to amino acid drugs or to ornithine aspartate and its constituents or to silymarin;
  • 5. ALT or γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) are greater than 5 times the upper limit of normal, or total bilirubin (TBIL) > 51 umol/L.;
  • 6. Confirmed liver cirrhosis or Fibroscan test showed E value > 12.5 kilopascal (KPa);
  • 7. Triglyceride > 5.6mmol/L;
  • 8. Diabetes diagnosed for more than 5 years, combined with current insulin therapy or taking hypoglycemic drugs with poorly controlled condition (HbA1c > 9%).
  • 9. Women who are pregnant, nursing or preparing for pregnancy;
  • 10. Suspected or confirmed excessive drinking (equivalent alcohol amount: male, > 40g/d; female, > 20g/d), or history of drug abuse;
  • 11. Combined use of drugs with liver protection and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as any Chinese patent medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, or health products that may have liver protection or liver damage effects;
  • 12. Taking weight-loss drugs or receiving weight-loss treatment;
  • 13. Situations of inappropriate participation judged by researchers.

Treatment and study plan

Ornithine aspartate granule

Drug

Ornithine aspartate granules in the experimental arm.

Silymarin capsule

Drug

Silymarin capsules in the active comparator arm.

Silymarin capsule simulant

Drug

Silymarin capsule simulant in the experimental arm.

Ornithine aspartate granule simulant

Drug

Ornithine aspartate granule simulant in the active comparator arm.

Primary outcomes

  1. The proportion of patients whose controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) value returned to normal or changed by more than 10%

    Time frame: Assessed at 24 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. The changed degree of quality-of-life measured by the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ)-NAFLD/NASH

    Time frame: Assessed at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks

  2. The proportion of patients whose alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level returned to normal or changed by more than 50%

    Time frame: Assessed at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks

Other outcomes

  1. The changed amount of blood ammonia

    Time frame: Assessed at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks

    An exploratory indicator

  2. The changed amount of body fat

    Time frame: Assessed at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks

    An exploratory indicator of body composition analysis

  3. The changed amount of body fat proportion

    Time frame: Assessed at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks

    An exploratory indicator of body composition analysis

  4. The changed amount of muscle mass

    Time frame: Assessed at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks

    An exploratory indicator of body composition analysis

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Other

Collaborators

  • Beijing Ditan Hospital
  • Beijing YouAn Hospital
  • First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University
  • Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Registry information

Official study title

The Efficacy and Safety of Ornithine Aspartic Acid Granules in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Against Silymarin Capsules: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Clinical Trial

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Sep 13, 2021
Registry last updated
Mar 16, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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