Bioactive Compounds from Plants Having Hepatoprotective Activity

The liver plays an essential role in metabolic management, and detoxification associating the metabolisms of toxins, lipids, alcohols, carbohydrates and various drugs. It also plays a role in the immune response. However, some conditions, such as viral infections (hepatitis), inflammation, continuous liquor consumption, periodic use of antibiotic-related drugs, and non-alcoholic fatty liver illness, can produce free radicals and cytokines, enhance lipid peroxidation, and induce damage to hepatocytes. Hepatoprotective agents are often the treatment of choice to improve liver function and protect the liver from exposure to harmful compounds. Based on scientific reports, Silybum marianum, Moringa oleifera, Garcinia mangostana, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Mangifera indica, Amaranthus spinosus, Andrographis paniculata, Phyllanthus species (amarus, niruri, emblica), Curcuma species (longa, xanthorrhiza, manga), and Citrus species (aurantium, sinensis, unshiu, grandis) have been broadly administered for the liver ailments therapy through antioxidant-associated abilities. Impressive studies have exposed that the health-promoting outcomes of bioactive constituents derived from plants have often been applied to their antioxidant characteristics and raise the cellular antioxidant protection system, scavenge free radicals, suppress lipid peroxidation, stimulate anti-inflammatory capacity, and assure the liver from destruction. These compounds are chlorogenic acid, curcumin, quercetin, hesperidin, rutin, betalains, apigenin, silymarin, phyllanthin, mangiferin, α-mangostin, bellidifolin, ginsenosides, glycyrrhizin, lycopene, and andrographolide.