Adverse Effects of Drugs and Toxins on the Liver

Mexico owns approximately 4500 medicinal plants species, a great diversity that position it at the second place after China. According to the Mexican health department, 90% of common population consumes them to treat various diseases. Additionally, herbal remedies in Latin America (LA) are considered a common practice, but the frequency of use and the liver damage related to its consumption is still unknown. Despite the high prevalence and indiscriminate herbal consumption, the exact mechanism of hepatotoxicity and adverse effects is not fully clarified and is still questioned. Some herb products associated with herb induced liver injury (HILI) are characterized by presenting a different chemical composition that may vary from batch to batch, also the biological activity of many medicinal plants and other natural products are directly related to their most active component and its concentration. There are two main biological components that are associated with liver damage, alkaloids, and flavonoids, which are frequent constituents of commonly used herbs. The interaction with the different cytochrome P-450 isoforms, inflammatory, and oxidative activities seem to be the main damage pathway involved in the liver. It is important to know the herbal adverse effects and mechanisms involved; therefore, this article is focused on the beneficial and deleterious effects as well as the possible toxicity mechanisms and interactions of the herbs that are frequently used in LA, since the herb-host interaction may not always be the expected or desired depending on the clinical context in which it is administered.

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Herbal hepatotoxicity: current status, examples, and challenges

Calitz

Plessis

Gouws

et al. 2015

Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology

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Adverse Effects of Drugs and Toxins on the Liver

Cited by 4 publications

References 77 publications

Alterations in serum activity of hepatocellular enzymes, levels of liver function markers, and liver histology of dogs given high (nephrotoxic) doses of gentamicin

Alterations in serum activity of hepatocellular enzymes, levels of liver function markers, and liver histology of dogs given high (nephrotoxic) doses of gentamicin

Liver toxicity mechanisms of herbs commonly used in Latin America

Herbal hepatotoxicity: current status, examples, and challenges

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