The Hepatitis C virus is considered the main cause of chronic liver disease which in turn can cause cirrhosis and liver failure, the primary cause in the western world and Israel which leads to the need for a liver transplant. The virus is the leading etiology of liver cancer. Anti-viral treatment for chronic hepatitis c is only successful in~ 50% of the cases, with side effects from this treatment. For these reasons Prof. Ran Tur- Kaspa, Head of Rabin Medical Center's Liver Institute and Department of Medicine D is constantly searching for new medications and treatment whose effectiveness is higher and their side effects are lower.

The laboratory of Molecular Hepatology (study of the liver) headed by Prof. Tur- Kaspa which is  equipped with the most advanced system available for research of Hepatitis C virus allowed the research team to conduct a superior study which examined and investigated the effect of vitamin D on the virus and the host liver cell.

The team discovered for the first time that vitamin D has a direct inhibitory activity on viruses and Hepatitis C in particular. They also found innovative findings indicating that vitamin D activates the innate immune system of the liver which works to suppress the virus in these cells. The research showed that vitamin D works inside the cell, and suppresses virus production, showing that the combination of interferon as a drug and vitamin D can be synergistically more effective in the treatment of Hepatitis C. This  revelation as to the influence of vitamin D on  hepatitis C did not came  by accident, as the classic vitamin D, which we get from the sun or from food, has proved over the years to have other important roles in regulating  the immune system, affecting the nervous system and more. The research was published in Hepatology, the leading scientific journal of the American Association of the Liver.