Preclinical Hepatoprotective Effect of Herbalism Against Ethanol Induced Hepatotoxicity: A Review

Background: Liver ailments including alcoholic liver disease (ALD), still remain the main reason for morbidity & mortality worldwide. In fact, ALD is a multifactorial disease with complex pathophysiology which is linked to several types of liver damages including steatohepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis. Methods: This review emphasizes on 30 herbal medicinal plants with their extracts studied for protective effect against ALD and current scientific evidence of ALD cure by thirty Indian Materia Medica including Tilia Platyphyllos, Amomum subulatum, Carica papaya, Pogostemon patchouli, Commelina benghalensis, Bacopamonnieri, Pecan nut, Allium cepa, Beta Vulgaris, Adina cordifolia, Ocimum gratissimum, Vernonia amygdalina, Sida veronicaefolia, Chenopodium album, Korean red ginseng, Elephantopus scaber, Tecomella undulata, Prunus armeniaca, Sea tangle (Laminaria japonica), Emblica officinalis, Saccharum officinarum, Cocculus hirsutus, Cassia roxburghii, Zhi-Zi-Da- Huang, Phyllanthus amarus, Aegle marmelos, Agrimonia eupatoria, Flaveria trinervia, Curcuma longa and Garcinia indica. Results: Reduction in oxidative stress, improvement in inflammation, reduction in degeneration of fat and necrosis are some of the mechanisms of action of these medicinal plants observed in alcohol induced in-vivo and in-vitro liver injury models. Conclusion: Accordingly, this review provides several evidences which show that these medicinal plants could be used for the treatment and prevention of ALD. Keywords: Alcoholic liver disease, cirrhosis, centrizonal necrosis, inflammation, lipid peroxidation, steatosis, steatohepatitis.