Bioactive peptides as a novel strategy to prevent alcoholic liver injury

Alcohol intake has become one of the leading risks to human health and wellness, among which acute and/or chronic alcohol-induced liver injury is a leading threaten, with few therapeutic options other than abstinence. In recent years, studies suggested that certain bioactive peptides from food sources could represent natural and safe alternatives for the prevention of alcoholic liver injury. Hence, this chapter focus on the advanced research on bioactive peptides exerting hepatoprotective activity against alcoholic liver injury. The main sources of protein, strategies for the preparation of hepatoprotective hydrolysates and peptides, underlying mechanisms of peptides on hepatoprotection, and possible structure-activity relationship between peptides and hepatoprotective activity were summarized and discussed, aiming to give a systematic insight into the research progress of hepatoprotective peptides. However, more efforts would be needed to give a clearer insight into the underlying mechanisms and structure-activity relationship before using hepatoprotective peptides as functional food ingredients or dietary supplements.