HEPATOPROTECTIVE HERBAL MEDICNE: A REVIEW

Abstract

The use of natural remedies for the treatment of liver diseases has a long history, starting with the Ayurvedic treatment, and extending to the Chinese, European and other systems of traditional medicines. Liver diseases are some of the fatal diseases in the world today. They pose a serious challenge to international public health. Modern medicines are having little to offer for alleviation of hepatic diseases and it is chiefly the plant based preparations which are employed for their treatment of liver disorders. A large no of medicinal plants are claimed to possess hepatoprotective property in traditional systems of medicine and are also utilized by ethnic group worldwide. Followings the folk claims, several medicinal plants have been scrutinized for this activity using various methods. The present review summarizes some important pharmacological and preliminary studies on medicinal plants, products thereof and isolated principles from them, which can be investigated further to achieve lead molecules in the search of novel herbal drugs.