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Research and application of medicines for treating liver fibrosis: current status and prospects
Shiqi Chen1,2, Zhu Wu1, Jing Zhang2
1Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, HaiKou, China.
Ethnopharmacological Relevance:
Liver fibrosis is a common pathological consequence of multiple chronic liver diseases, making its pharmacological management a key area of medical research. Diverse classes of therapeutic agents offer distinct advantages and limitations. Notably, combination therapy has emerged as a prominent focus of contemporary investigation due to its potential to enhance treatment outcomes.
Materials And Methods:
As of 1 February 2025, a comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science, employing keywords related to liver fibrosis and its treatment. In accordance with ConPhyMP guidelines, one author assessed the quality of studies involving botanical drug metabolites.
Results:
This review synthesizes findings from 111 research articles, offering an overview of two primary classes of therapeutic agents and their integration with emerging technologies-namely mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes and nanoparticles. On one side, it discusses biomedicine-related therapies, including conventional biomedicine medicines, repurposed drugs, and investigational compounds. On the other, it addresses botanical-based treatments, encompassing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas and botanical drug metabolites. Both categories have shown promising therapeutic efficacy in clinical and preclinical settings.
Conclusion:
This review provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of pharmacological strategies for the treatment of liver fibrosis, shows the application and research status of different types of medicines, and provides a comprehensive perspective for current research directions. It points out the limitations of existing research and suggests that the clinical research of various medicines and combination therapies should be strengthened in the future, and the liver fibrosis model should be optimized to promote clinical transformation, which provides an important reference for future research directions.
Insights
This review explores pharmacological treatments for liver fibrosis, including conventional medicines and botanical therapies. Combination therapies show promise for enhanced outcomes in managing this common liver disease.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Hepatology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Liver fibrosis is a significant consequence of chronic liver diseases, necessitating effective pharmacological management.
- Combination therapy is a key focus for improving treatment outcomes in liver fibrosis.
- Diverse therapeutic agents, including botanical treatments, offer varied advantages and limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of pharmacological strategies for liver fibrosis treatment.
- To synthesize findings on biomedicine and botanical-based therapies, including novel applications.
- To identify limitations and suggest future research directions for clinical transformation.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science up to February 1, 2025.
- Keywords focused on liver fibrosis and its treatment, including botanical drug metabolites.
- Study quality assessment followed ConPhyMP guidelines for botanical drug metabolite studies.
Main Results:
- The review synthesizes data from 111 research articles on liver fibrosis treatments.
- Two primary classes of agents are discussed: biomedicine-related therapies and botanical-based treatments.
- Emerging technologies like mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes and nanoparticles are integrated into therapeutic discussions.
Conclusions:
- Pharmacological strategies for liver fibrosis are diverse, encompassing conventional and botanical approaches.
- Both biomedicine and botanical treatments show promising efficacy in preclinical and clinical settings.
- Future research should strengthen clinical studies on combination therapies and optimize fibrosis models for translation.
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