Drug-induced Hepatotoxicity and Hepatoprotective Medicinal Plants: A Review

The Liver, a paramount organ is the Chief site for metabolism of nutrients and energy production in the human body. It is also necessary for metabolism and elimination of exogenous drugs and harmful substances via kidney. Hepatotoxicity caused by a variety of environmental pollutants, pathogenic micro-organism, viruses, drugs and chemical agents may account for various hepatic diseases such as jaundice, necrosis, hepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis etc. Ayurveda is a traditional medicinal system of India and is being practiced continuously since ancient times and at present for the treatment of various human diseases. Medicinal plants as a significant source of therapeutic compounds used for the development of effective drugs against a variety of human diseases include liver ailments. Hence, therapeutic plants are becoming popular in the pharmaceutical industry to develop a safe and effective medicine for the treatment of the emerging new human diseases. Therefore, the present review is aimed to compiling data on hepatoprotective medicinal plants which have been investigated against drug-induced hepatotoxicity.