Medicinal Plants in Hepatology: Advances in Experimental and Clinical Research

Abstract

The hepatic system plays a pivotal role in metabolic homeostasis and the processing of essential nutrients. Hepatic dysfunction and acute liver failure represent significant clinical challenges with substantial morbidity and mortality implications. Viral hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections constitute the predominant aetiological factors in chronic liver disease globally. Pakistan bears a disproportionate burden of viral hepatitis, with epidemiological data indicating that approximately 20 million individuals are affected by these infections—15 million with HCV and 5 million with HBV. This prevalence positions Pakistan among the countries with the highest hepatitis burden worldwide. Globally, chronic hepatitis B affects an estimated 350 million individuals, while hepatitis C impacts approximately 170 million people. The annual mortality attributed to complications of chronic hepatitis B and C infections represents a substantial public health concern, with death rates varying significantly across different populations and healthcare settings. Despite advances in antiviral therapeutics, current pharmacological interventions demonstrate limited efficacy in promoting hepatocellular regeneration, preserving hepatic architecture, or comprehensively restoring liver function in patients with advanced disease. Consequently, there exists an urgent clinical need to identify novel therapeutic modalities that are both efficacious and demonstrate acceptable safety profiles for the management of chronic liver disease. The present investigation seeks to systematically evaluate indigenous phytochemical compounds derived from medicinal plants that have demonstrated hepatoprotective properties through rigorous scientific evaluation, with particular emphasis on their potential therapeutic applications in hepatotoxicity management.

Keywords: Liver; Hepatoprotective; Medicinal Plants; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Liver Disease; Phytochemicals; Hepatotoxicity