Plants-based medicine implication in the evolution of chronic liver diseases

Biomed Pharmacother. 2023 Feb:158:114207. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.114207. Epub 2023 Jan 4.

Abstract

Hepatic disorders are considered major health problems, due to their high incidence, increased risk of chronicling or death and the costs involved in therapies. A large number of patients with chronic liver diseases use herbal medicines and dietary supplements in parallel with allopathic treatment. The current review provides a thorough analysis of the studies conducted on the most important species of medicinal plants used in this disease, bioactive compounds and on the activity of herbal medicines in the evolution of chronic liver diseases. However, a negative aspect is that there is frequently a lack of comprehensive data on the progression of the illness and the living standards of patients who are affected when evaluating the effects of these phytocomponents on the evolution of chronic liver disease, the patients' health, and their quality of life. It is essential to take this impairment into account when evaluating the long-term effects of herbal treatments on the health of individuals who suffer from liver illness. Bioactive phytocomponents may be a suitable source for the development of novel medications due to the correlation between traditional uses and medical advances. Additional high-quality preclinical examinations utilizing cutting-edge approaches are needed to assess safety and effectiveness and to detect, categorize, and standardize the active substances and their formulations for the most suitable therapeutic management of liver illnesses.

Keywords: Chronic liver diseases; Dietary supplements; Hepatitis; Herbal medicine; Liver cirrhosis; Liver fibrosis; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Plants-based active compounds.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Liver Diseases* / drug therapy
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Plants, Medicinal*
  • Quality of Life

Substances

  • Plant Extracts