Herbal Defenders of the Liver: Exploring Pakistan’s Medicinal Flora for Hepatoprotection

• Hajra Ashraf

  Department of Biomedicine Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences National University of Sciences and Technology H12, Islamabad, Pakistan

  Author

  https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6179-4649

• Zahera Akhter

  Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, Department of Biomedicine, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

  Author

  https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4926-061X

• Numra Shehzadi

  Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences Department of Biomedicine, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

  Author

  https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1921-7499

• Madiha Ahmad

  Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences Department of Biomedicine, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

  Author

  https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7256-3210

• Naila Naz

  Department of Biomedicine, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

  Author

  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8864-0250

Liver diseases are one of the leading global health risks with prevalence in  developing countries. Indigenous medicinal plants remained  promising, cost-effective, and culturally acceptable alternative therapy for hepatoprotection. This review provides an overview of several prospective indigenous medicinal plants having hepatoprotective efficacy with phytochemistry, potential anti-inflammatory activity, mechanism of action, as well as the key bioactive components such as curcumin from Curcuma longa and α-amyrin from Morus indica. Some case studies support the efficacy of Mangifera indica L., Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers., Berberis lyceum Royle., Helianthus annus, and Cynodondactylon as therapeutic options. Other pharmacological studies were included to reiterate the efficacy of liver herbal remedies in curing hepatic damage with Cichorium intybus, Cinnamomum verum, and Andrographis paniculata. Although medicinal plants may have potential to ameliorate hepatic diseases, issues surrounding standardization, dosage, and clinical use remain challenging to utilize medicinal plants for hepatoprotective therapies. This review offers insights for future direction of the hepatoprotective drug discovery process by suggesting better ways of utilizing herbal compounds and a higher degree of integrated research that leads to exploration of herbal and natural compounds for the advancement of hepatoprotective drug discovery.

1. Hajra Ashraf, Department of Biomedicine Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences National University of Sciences and Technology H12, Islamabad, Pakistan

   Student of Department of Biomedicine

    

2. Zahera Akhter, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, Department of Biomedicine, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

   Student at Department of Biomedicine

3. Numra Shehzadi, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences Department of Biomedicine, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

   Student at 

    Department of Biomedicine

4. Madiha Ahmad, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences Department of Biomedicine, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

   student at Department of Biomedicine

5. Naila Naz, Department of Biomedicine, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

   Professor and Head of Department Research

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