Botanical allies: Phytoconstituents in hepatoprotection

The liver’s functions are essential for maintaining overall human health. With the rising global incidence of liver diseases, especially viral hepatitis which resulted in 1.3 million deaths in 2022 it's important to implement effective testing, treatment, and prevention strategies. In many developing countries, herbal medicine has gained prominence as an alternative to allopathic treatments, with around 80% of the population relying on traditional remedies for health concerns. India, often referred to as the "botanical garden of the world," boasts a rich heritage of using hepatoprotective herbs, including turmeric and milk thistle, to support liver health, with identification of over hundred plants with hepatoprotective phytoconstituents. While modern medicine has made strides in treating liver diseases, herbal remedies present a viable alternative, often with fewer side effects and better safety profiles. This review highlights the significance of integrating traditional herbal knowledge into contemporary medical practices for enhancing liver health and managing liver diseases effectively; emphasizing on understanding the mechanism and factors affecting hepatotoxicity, different phytoconstituents used as hepatoprotectives, their proposed mechanism of action and recent studies.