A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON HERBAL DRUGS ACTING ON FATTY LIVER DISEASE

Mohammed Sami Najmuddin Ravuthar*, Hasan Ali Javed Badshah, Heeral Jain, Dhruv Gandhi and Vishvanath Vaidya

ABSTRACT

Fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis) is a growing global health concern, characterized by excessive fat accumulation in liver cells. It exists in two primary forms: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which is associated with metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, and Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (AFLD), triggered by excessive alcohol consumption. The disease progresses through mechanisms including insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis, potentially leading to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Conventional management focuses on lifestyle modifications, but growing evidence supports the use of herbal medicine as a complementary approach. Medicinal plants such as milk thistle (Silybum marianum), turmeric (Curcuma longa), Phyllanthus niruri, Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) have demonstrated hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects, improving liver function and lipid metabolism. This review explores the pathophysiology of fatty liver disease and the role of herbal interventions in its management, with an emphasis on their active constituents, mechanisms of action, and potential risks.

Keywords: Hepatic Steatosis, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), Hepatoprotective Herbs, Oxidative Stress, Insulin Resistance, Silymarin (Milk Thistle).