title: Potent natural products and herbal medicines for treating liver fibrosis.
abstract: Liver fibrosis is a wound-healing response to chronic liver injury characterized by progressive inflammation and deposition of extracellular matrix components. The pathological condition of liver fibrosis involves secretion of extracellular matrix proteins and formation of scar tissue. The major regulators involved in hepatic fibrogenesis are the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/SMAD and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-initiated myeloid differentiation primary response 88 gene (MyD88)/NF-ĸB cell signaling pathways. This article reviews natural products and herbal medicines that have demonstrated activity against liver fibrosis through different mechanisms of action, including anti-hepatitis B and C virus activity, anti-inflammation, inhibition of cytokine production and nuclear receptor activation, and free radical scavenging.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, SAR China.
authors.forename: Shao-Ru
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, SAR China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, SAR China.
authors.forename: Jin-Jian
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, SAR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, SAR China.
authors.forename: Yi-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Wang