Inflammation and MMPs in alcohol-induced liver diseases and protective action of antioxidants.

The consumption of alcohol causes several liver-associated diseases all over the world. Alcoholic liver diseases (ALD) include hepatic inflammation, fatty liver, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and fibrosis and finally hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the cellular, metabolic and biochemical mechanisms for these diseases are quite explicable, the roles of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) are still under investigation. The present review describes the roles and regulation of MMPs and TIMPs in different ALDs along with the involvement of other pathways. This review also summarizes the present knowledge on clinical and experimental trials with different antioxidants that help against alcohol associated liver diseases.