MEDICINAL PLANTS AS HEPATOPROTECTIVE AGENTS AGAINST THIOACETAMIDE-INDUCED LIVER TOXICITY: A REVIEW

Hepatotoxicity, which is frequently brought on by medications, chemicals, and environmental pollutants, is one of the main causes of liver diseases in the globe. Because it may produce reactive oxygen species and cause centrilobular necrosis, thioacetamide (TAA) is a well-known experimental hepatotoxin that is frequently employed to cause acute and chronic liver injury. The goal of this review is to provide an overview and critical analysis of the hepatoprotective potential of medicinal plants that have been tested against TAA-induced hepatotoxicity. Ten to twelve medicinal plants that have been documented in scientific literature were thoroughly examined, and relevant information—such as plant name, extract type, dose, experimental design, biochemical parameters, and histopathological results—was methodically recorded in tabular form. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin were among the liver indicators that were significantly restored in the majority of investigations. Antioxidant enzyme levels and hepatic architecture were also improved. Bioactive phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, and terpenoids are mostly responsible for the observed hepatoprotective benefits. The therapeutic promise of medicinal plants in the treatment of TAA-induced liver injury is supported by this review, which also emphasizes their potential as safer hepatoprotective substitutes.