ABSTRACT
Considering the fact that liver is one of the most important organs in our body, it deserves special attention and protection. Among various recommended supplements, complementary and alternative medicines particularly herbal remedies have received much attention owing to their truly healing properties. This review profits from Iranian traditional medicine and presents advantageous herbal guide directions for liver protection. According to credible Iranian medical literature such as Al Qanun Fil Tibb, Al-Havi and Makhzan-al-Aadvia, a wide spectrum of plants have been found to be useful for cleansing and protecting the liver. Some herbs such as ghafes (Agrimonia eupatoria), kasni (Cichorium intybus), anar (Punica granatum), darchin (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), za'feran (Crocus sativus), gole-sorkh (Rosa damascena) and zereshk (Berberis vulgaris) appeared to get strong consideration and were well documented as outstanding liver tonics. We conducted a comprehensive review of available Iranian medical resources such as scientific information database and medical sciences databases which cover all in vitro and in vivo studies of medicinal plants as liver tonics and hepatoprotective candidates. Literature survey was accomplished using multiple databases including PubMed, ISI web of knowledge, and Google Scholar.
ABSTRACT
Fructus Schisandrae sinensis Baill, a traditional Chinese medicine, used as tonic and sedative, has been shown at the beginning of 70's to lower the elevated serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) levels of patients suffering from chronic viral hepatitis. Durign past 20 years, a series of neolignans have been isolated and identified as effective principles. Pharmacological studies revealed that they increased liver protein and glicogen synthesis, antagonized liver injuries from CCl4 and thioacetamide. The mechanism of SGPT lowering was considered as a hepato-protective and membrane stabilize action, although inhibition of the activity of liver GPT may also be existed. It was found that some principles of Schisandrae have an inducing effect on hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzynme system P-450, thus explained their anti-toxic, anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic effects. A synthetic derivative compound of Schisandrin called DDB has most of the above mentioned actions now used widely in Chine as a hepato-protective drug with high effectiveness in normalizing liver functions and very low side effects. From Schisandrin to synthesized DDB, pointed out a successful way in the development of new drugs from natural products.