Progress on traditional Chinese medicine in improving hepatic fibrosis through inhibiting oxidative stress

Figure 3 Treatment of hepatic fibrosis by oxidative stress mediated by traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine employs various mechanisms to reduce the production of reactive oxygen species in the body, thereby suppressing oxidative stress reactions. They can enhance the secretion of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and heme oxygenase 2, as well as increase the activity of interferon-γ and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor. Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine can inhibit the secretion of growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, macrophages, and neutrophils. They can also hinder the activation of quiescent hepatic stellate cells into myofibroblasts and facilitate the degradation of extracellular matrix components like collagen. These actions contribute to the protection of liver function and hepatocytes, ultimately mitigating and reversing hepatic fibrosis. ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; ALT: Alanine transaminase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; α-SMA: Alpha-smooth-muscle actin; IFN-γ: Interferon-γ; Nrf2: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor.