Published online Oct 27, 2023. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v15.i10.1091
Peer-review started: June 26, 2023
First decision: August 16, 2023
Revised: August 26, 2023
Accepted: September 19, 2023
Article in press: September 19, 2023
Published online: October 27, 2023
Processing time: 119 Days and 17.7 Hours
Hepatic fibrosis is a common pathological process that occurs in the development of various chronic liver diseases into cirrhosis and liver cancer, characterized by excessive deposition of the extracellular matrix. In the past, hepatic fibrosis was thought to be a static and irreversible pathological process. In recent years, with the rapid development of molecular biology and the continuous in-depth study of the liver at the microscopic level, more and more evidence has shown that hepatic fibrosis is a dynamic and reversible process. Therefore, it is particularly important to find an effective, simple, and inexpensive method for its prevention and treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) occupies an important position in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis due to its advantages of low adverse reactions, low cost, and multi-target effectiveness. A large number of research results have shown that TCM monomers, single herbal extracts, and TCM formulas play important roles in the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis. Oxidative stress (OS) is one of the key factors in the occurrence and development of hepatic fibrosis. Therefore, this article reviews the progress in the understanding of the mechanisms of TCM monomers, single herbal extracts, and TCM formulas in preventing and treating hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting OS in recent years, in order to provide a reference and basis for drug therapy of hepatic fibrosis.
Core Tip: Hepatic fibrosis is a common pathological process that occurs in the development of various chronic liver diseases into cirrhosis and liver cancer, characterized by excessive deposition of the extracellular matrix. This article reviews the progress in the understanding of the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) monomers, single herbal extracts, and TCM formulas in preventing and treating hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting oxidative stress in recent years, in order to provide a reference and basis for drug therapy of hepatic fibrosis.