Inhibition of hepatic stellate cell activation by nutraceuticals: an emphasis on mechanisms of action

• Published in: Journal of food science and technology Vol. 61; no. 11; pp. 2046 - 2056
• Main Authors: Sekar, Vasudevan, VP, Venkateish, Vijay, Vani, BR, Annapoorna, Vijayan, Nivya, Perumal, Madan Kumar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 01.11.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Cell activation; Cell death; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Cirrhosis; Clinical trials; Dietary supplements; Drug development; Fatty liver; FDA approval; Fibrosis; Food Science; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Hepatocytes; Herbal medicine; Liver; Liver cirrhosis; Liver diseases; Monoclonal antibodies; Morbidity; Nutrition; Review Article; Stellate cells; Anti-fibrotic effect; Hepatic stellate cells; Activation; Liver fibrosis; Dysregulated pathways; Nutraceuticals
• ISSN: 0022-1155; 0975-8402
• DOI: 10.1007/s13197-024-06002-3

Liver diseases emerge as a serious threat to humans worldwide due to increasing morbidity and mortality. Liver disease related deaths accounts for one third of all disease related death globally. A simple fatty liver if unattended advances further to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. During liver fibrogenesis, hepatic stellate cells gets activated into myofibroblast like cells and exhibit proliferative and fibrogenic features. Targeting these activated hepatic stellate cells offer promising therapeutic approach towards liver fibrosis management. To date there is no Food and Drug Administration approved treatments for liver fibrosis. However, a large number of clinical trials are being conducted employing monoclonal antibodies, drugs, dietary supplements and herbal medicines. A vast number of research findings demonstrated nutraceuticals to be effective against experimental liver fibrosis both in vitro and in vivo. Nutraceuticals typically regulate key signaling pathways in activated hepatic stellate cells and exhibit anti-fibrotic effect. In this review, the mechanistic action of nutraceuticals targeting activated hepatic stellate cells were summarized to establish them as a possible therapeutic candidate for liver fibrosis.