Herbs to Treat Drug-Induced Liver Injury
Chinese herbs for liver health
HEPATOPROTECTIVE AND HEPATORESTORATIVE PROPERTIES OF CHINESE HERBS
Active ingredients in herbs from traditional Chinese medicine have shown promising efficacy in rehabilitating and protecting the liver.
DRUG-INDUCED LIVER INJURY
Recent research findings indicate that the use of active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs might lessen the effects of drug-induced liver injury. And studies on herbs that protect against and alleviate injury hold promise.
PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
Active ingredients in medicinal Chinese herbs are fast acting, with notable efficacy and few toxic side effects. They include polyphenol compounds, flavonoid compounds, saponins, organic acids, terpenoid compounds, phenylpropanoids, polysaccharides, and alkaloids.
Mechanisms for suppressing liver toxicity range from reducing degree of injury to alleviating disease and blocking the pathways of liver damage.
Rosmarinic acid found in basil produces remarkable hepatoprotective effects by inhibiting CYP2E1 activity and lipid peroxidation
POLYPHENOL COMPOUNDS
Polyphenol compounds can improve oxidative stress, a major cause of hepatotoxicity caused by medication overdose. The hepatoprotective effects of rosmarinic acid (an active component in basil, rosemary, and lemon balm) are associated with inhibition of CYP2E1 activity and lipid peroxidation.
FLAVONOID COMPOUNDS
Flavonoid compounds include hyperoside, which can hinder the formation of toxic intermediates and boost detoxification in the liver, and ginseng anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory properties. In studies, α-mangostin (a xanthone derivative found in the pericarp of mangosteen fruit) notably suppresses drug-induced oxidative stress. Licochalcone A isolated from the root of Glycyrrhizae radix (甘草) has a protective effect on liver injury through the Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress defense mechanism.
SAPONINS
The antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory actions of saponins have protective effects on liver injury in a murine model. Ginsenoside Rk1 impedes activation of the apoptosis pathway, ginsenoside Rg1 prevents liver injury, and saponins in Platycodon grandiflorum (桔梗) have pronounced protective effects on liver injury through the NF-κB and AMPK/PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.
ORGANIC ACIDS
Taurine effectively relieves drug-induced liver injury and its complications in mice. By reducing thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), which form as a byproduct of lipid peroxidation, and iNOS, COX-2, TNF-2, IL-12, and IL-6, the acids from Potentilla chinensis (委陵菜) inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress to alleviate drug-induced liver injury. Research has shown that p-coumaric acid (widely found in fruits and vegetables) suppresses hepatocyte apoptosis by modulating the MAPK signaling axis in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent manner and alleviating response and inflammation from ROS-mediated DNA damage.
TERPENOID COMPOUNDS
Compounds in the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (香茅) hinder neutrophil migration and antioxidant activity in mice with drug-induced liver injury, relieving hepatotoxicity. Pretreatment with astaxanthin (natural sources include shrimp, algae, yeast, and salmon) may reduce hepatocellular necrosis, block the formation of ROS, prevent oxidative stress, and diminish cellular apoptosis, achieving hepatoprotective and hepatorestorative effects.
PHENYLPROPANOIDS
Fructus schisandrae (五味子) is widely used for liver protection in traditional Chinese medicine. Lignan components in Fructus schisandrae may ameliorate drug-induced liver injury by inhibiting CYP-mediated biologic and metabolic pathways. Schisandrin B increases liver detoxification and antioxidation by activating the Nrf2/ARE pathway and regulating the Nrf2 target gene, reflecting its hepatoprotective effects.
POLYSACCHARIDES
Polysaccharides of Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (铁皮石斛) play a hepatoprotective role by lowering oxidative stress and activating the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway. Polysaccharides of Poria cocos (茯苓) play a protective role against liver injury in murine models and are associated with suppression of the hepatocellular inflammatory response and apoptosis.
ALKALOIDS
The alkaloids of Aconitum carmichaelii (乌头) protect against drug-induced injury by suppressing mitochondrial dysfunction and defending liver cells. Caution: Aconitum species are highly toxic and require special processing before medicinal use. Ligustrazine, an alkaloid isolated from Ligusticum wallichii (川芎), improves drug-induced liver injury in mice by regulating the NF-κF and MAPK signal transduction pathways.
OTHER HERBS AND MATERIA MEDICA THAT BENEFIT LIVER HEALTH
Auricularia delicata (皱木耳) demonstrates antimicrobial, antioxidant, and protective effects on drug-induced liver injury in rats.
Rhizoma pinelliae (半夏) regulates bile acid transporter protein in drug-induced liver injury.
Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice root) protects the liver from oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant defenses and reducing inflammation
Note: The information in this blog is presented for educational purposes only. Seek the advice of a healthcare provider before taking herbal preparations. Substances in herbal preparations may interact with prescription drugs to eliminate therapeutic efficacy or induce toxicity.