Drug-induced liver injury therapy: unveiling the healing potential of natural products from medicinal and food homology plants

Abstract Drug induced liver injury (DILI) is an important adverse reaction caused by the use of drugs in clinical practice. In severe cases, it can even pose a threat to life. The commonly reported drugs that cause DILI include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and anti-cancer drugs, etc. In recent years, a large number of studies have shown that medicinal and edible plants with their natural products have demonstrated great potential in the treatment of DILI. In animal models, these substances can alleviate DILI by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, activating the antioxidant defense system, regulating the intestinal flora, alleviating endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial stress, and regulating autophagy, among other pathways. Furthermore, natural compounds such as glycyrrhizic acid, and silymarin have already shown preliminary improvement effects on DILI in clinical practice. However, it is worth noting that in cases of improper assessment, unreasonable use, or other circumstances, these natural substances can also potentially cause or exacerbate liver damage. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct further assessment of the safety range and potential side effects of the drug during the clinical drug development and application process. Overall, the medicinal and edible plants with their natural products provide new strategies and resources for the prevention and treatment of DILI as well as for drug development.