Hepatoprotective effects of natural drugs: Current trends, scope, relevance and future perspectives

The liver is a well-known player in the metabolism and removal of drugs. Drug metabolizing enzymes in the liver detoxify drugs and xenobiotics, ultimately leading to the acquisition of homeostasis. However, liver toxicity and cell damage are not only related to the nature and dosage of a particular drug but are also influenced by other factors such as aging, immune status, environmental contaminants, microbial metabolites, gender, obesity, and expression of individual genes Furthermore, factors such as drugs, alcohol, and environmental contaminants could induce oxidative stress, thereby impairing the regenerative potential of the liver and causing several diseases. Persons suffering from other ailments and those with comorbidities are found to be more prone to drug-induced toxicities. Moreover, drug composition and drug-drug interactions could further aggravate the risk of drug-induced hepatotoxicity. A plethora of mechanisms are responsible for initiating liver cell damage and further aggravating liver cell injury, followed by impairment of homeostasis, ultimately leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species, immune-suppression, and oxidative stress.

To summarize the potential of phytochemicals and natural bioactive compounds to treat hepatotoxicity and other liver diseases.

A deductive qualitative content analysis approach was employed to assess the overall outcomes of the research and review articles pertaining to hepatoprotection induced by natural drugs, along with analysis of the interventions.

An extensive literature search of bibliographic databases, including Web of Science, PUBMED, SCOPUS, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, etc., was carried out to understand the role of hepatoprotective effects of natural drugs.

Bioactive natural products, including curcumin, resveratrol, etc., have been seen as neutralizing agents against the side effects induced by the drugs. Moreover, these natural products are dietary and are readily available; thus, could be supplemented along with drugs to reduce toxicity to cells. Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics have shown promise of improving overall liver functioning, and these should be evaluated more extensively for their hepatoprotective potential. Therefore, selecting an appropriate natural product or a bioactive compound that is free of toxicity and offers a reliable solution for drug-induced liver toxicity is quintessential.

The current review highlights the role of natural bioactive products in neutralizing drug-induced hepatotoxicity. Efforts have been made to delineate the possible underlying mechanism associated with the neutralization process.