Treatment of Liver Fibrosis with Chinese Medicines and Extracts: A Review

Hepatic fibrosis (HF), a global issue that develops gradually during the repeated repair process of chronic liver injury caused by various factors, can progress to irreversible cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, there are no approved chemical or biological drugs for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Modern medicine primarily focuses on addressing the underlying causes of liver fibrosis. HF is classified as an accumulative disease in the Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic, which is the earliest and most influential extant medical classic in China. Thousands of years of treatment experience have accumulated a large number of effective Chinese medicines. In recent years, studies on the anti-liver fibrosis effects of Chinese medicine have mainly focused on the curative effects of extracts and compounds. Studies have shown that the treatment and prevention of liver fibrosis through Chinese medicine demonstrate a comprehensive pharmacological effect that involves multiple pathways and targets. Therefore, further in-depth research in this field is both promising and necessary. However, it is crucial to expand clinical application studies, as the current research on the anti-liver fibrosis effects of TCM is predominantly limited to laboratory investigations. In this review, we summarized the pharmacological effects, targets and related mechanisms of 13 traditional Chinese medicines in the treatment of HF in the past five years, in order to provide comprehensive information for the development of anti-liver fibrosis drugs.