The liver is a dynamic, heterogeneous organ, which is under heavily regulated physiological control. The various types of liver pathologies are a global health concern with a significant mortality rate.
The unhealthy lifestyle leaves its mark on the liver. The toxins in the environment, medications and alcohol are merely a sample of the factors, which could negatively affect the basic functioning and self-recovery of the liver.
Along the conventional treatment, there is a widely spread application of phytopreparations as an accompanying therapy, and more commonly in the cases of less severe liver diseases they may be the main therapy. A number of medicinal plants are also used, such as milk thistle (Silybum marianum), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), burdock (Arctium lappa), artichoke (Cynara scolymus), curcuma (Curcuma longa). They arе taken in the form of tinctures, extracts or tea and the extracted biologically active ingredients of the plants are part of the composition of various capsules and tablets.
Ahmed-Belkacem A, Ahnou N, Barbotte L, Wychowski C, Pallier C, Brillet R, et al. Silibinin and related compounds are direct inhibitors of hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Gastroenterology. 2010;138:1112-1122.
Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd ed. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011.
Cai Y, Lu D, Zou Y, Zhou C, Liu H, Tu C, et al. Curcumin Protects Against Intestinal Origin Endotoxemia in Rat Liver Cirrhosis by Targeting PCSK9. J Food Sci. 2017 Mar; 82(3):772-780.
Čalkić, L. Phytotherapy and Liver Disease. Liver Cirrhosis - Debates and Current Challenges. 2019. doi:10.5772/intechopen.83640
Cheng X, Wang H, Yang J, Cheng Y, Wang D, Yang F, et al. Arctigenin protects against liver injury from acute hepatitis by suppressing immune cells in mice. Biomed Pharmacother. 2018 Jun; 102:464471.
Davaatseren M, Hur HJ, Yang HJ, Hwang JT, Park JH, Kim HJ, et al. Taraxacum official (dandelion) leaf extract alleviates high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver. Food Chem Toxicol. 2013 Aug; 58:30-6.
De Souza PF, da Silva Diamante MA, Foglio MA, Camargo Cde A, Aoyama H, et al. Hepatoprotective effect of Arctium lappa root extract on cadmium toxicity in adult Wistar rats. Biological Trace Element Research. 2014;160(2):250-257. DOI: 10.1007/ s12011-014-0040-6.
El-Kamary SS, Shardell MD, Abdel-Hamid M, Ismail S, El-Ateek M, Metwally M, et al. A randomized controlled trial to assess the safety and efficacy of silymarin on symptoms, signs and biomarkers of acute hepatitis. Phytomedicine. 2009;16:391-400.
Falasca K, Ucciferri C, Mancino P, Vitacolonna E, De Tullio D, Pizzigallo E, et al. Treatment with silybin-vitamin E-phospholipid complex in patients with hepatitis C infection. Journal of Medical Virology. 2008;80:1900-1906. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21292.
Ferenci P, Scherzer TM, Kerschner H, Rutter K, Beinhardt S, Hofer H, et al. Silibinin is a potent antiviral agent in patients with chronic hepatitis C not responding to pegylated interferon/ ribavirin therapy. Gastroenterology. 2008;135:1561-1567.
Jahan S, Khan M, Imran S, Sair M. The hepatoprotective role of Silymarin in isoniazid induced liver damage of rabbits. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association. 2015;65(6):620-622.
Pradhan SC, Girish C. Hepatoprotective herbal drug, silymarin from experimental pharmacology to clinical medicine. The Indian Journal of Medical Research. 2006;124:491-504.
Torres M, Rodríguez-Serrano F, Rosario DJ, Rodríguez-Perez F, Toro DH. Does Silybum marianum play a role in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C? Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal. 2004;23(2 Suppl):69-74. PMID: 16929590.
Trefts Е, Gannon М, Wasserman DH. The liver. Curr Biol. 2017 Nov 6; 27(21): R1147-R1151.
Xiong F, Guan YS. Cautiously using natural medicine to treat liver problems. World J Gastroenterol. 2017 May 21; 23(19): 3388–3395.
Zhang A, Li Q, On X, Si D, Liu C. Interactions between transporters and herbal medicines/drugs: A focus on hepatoprotective compounds. Current Drug Metabolism. 2015;16(10):911-918.
Асенов И., Бенбасат Й., Николов Ст. Учебник по фармакогнозия.1989г.
Асенов И., Николов Ст. Фармакогнозия за студенти по фармация. Медицина и физкултура. София.1988,53,126-127.
Кожухарова Е., Николов С. Фармацевтична ботаника. Издателство Фют. София, 2012,251.
https://www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/facts-about-liver-disease/
http://fitoros.ru/repeynik-lechebnye-svoystva
https://www.scotpho.org.uk/health-wellbeing-and-disease/chronic-liver-disease/data/mortality
https://telestar.bg/blog/5-zlatni-polzi-ot-artishoka-za-nasheto-tyalo
