From diet to disease modulation: the multi-targeted effects of medicinal-food homologous plants in hepatic fibrosis

Abstract

Hepatic fibrosis is a pivotal pathological stage in chronic liver disease progression for which treatment options remain limited. Medicinal-food homologous (MFH) plants, recognized for their dual safety and bioactivity, offer promising preventive and therapeutic potential. This review systematically analyzes the anti-hepatofibrotic mechanisms of 102 officially approved MFH plants. Based on a literature search using keywords such as “specific MFH plant names” and “hepatic fibrosis or liver fibrosis,” we identified 101 relevant studies. The analysis reveals that these plants exert their effects through multi-target synergy, mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation, inhibiting hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, inducing activated HSC apoptosis, and modulating the gut-liver axis. Although bioactive compounds such as hesperetin, puerarin, and curcumin have emerged as prominent candidates for therapeutic intervention in hepatic fibrosis, related studies remain largely confined to the pre-clinical stage. Furthermore, approximately one-third of the evidence is derived from crude extracts with poorly characterized compositions; active compounds lack systematic pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluations; clinical studies remain exceptionally limited; and experimental doses far exceed typical daily dietary intake levels. These limitations severely compromise their clinical translation and application value. Future research should focus on elucidating the mechanisms of single active compounds, establishing long-term intervention models using physiologically relevant doses, and conducting high-quality randomized controlled trials, thereby facilitating the translation of MFH plants from dietary prevention to clinical therapy.