INTRODUCTION: Liver diseases (hepatitis, steatosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma) are among the most common causes of disability and death worldwide. An accumulating body of evidence has established a relationship between the intake of polyphenol-rich foods and beverages and the lower incidence of liver diseases. Flavonoids are important ingredients in human diet.
AIM: The aim or the present review article was to summarize the current knowledge about the effects of flavonoids on liver health and the mechanisms involved.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature in Pubmed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect has been studied and analyzed.
RESULTS: Flavonoids protect the liver from viral, toxic, drug-induced and obesity-associated liver damage, but the data are almost exclusively derived from animal studies. However, the number of clinical trials is insufficient and additional human studies are needed to confirm their effect in clinical practice.
CONCLUSION: Analysis of the literature data from scientific databases showed promising hepatoprotective effects of flavonoids proved predominantly in experimental animal studies.
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