Herbal medicine for the treatment of liver diseases

 LIVER DISEASE

Health

Liver disease refers to a group of chronic and life-threatening disease that involves the liver as an organ for making energy, producing fats and proteins and producing bile. Hepatitis is one form of lupus. Other major causes include cirrhosis and liver failure. The symptoms are usually caused by hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus, but in some cases they can occur as a result of other conditions such as diabetes, obesity, alcohol and drugs. Patients with these diseases sometimes experience jaundice when they lose their sense of smell and sight. This occurs mainly when there are too few red blood cells in the body.

Liver problems may also occur when patients have liver disease but do not know it. It happens when there are no signs of liver problems, or the liver has become enlarged due to excessive production of hormones and drugs. When a patient is unaware that a problem exists, a doctor is required to find out exactly what is happening. Most people with liver problems recognize this and treat it right away.

Liver problems may affect the whole body or just a part of the liver because some organs such as the heart are affected by them. In some rare instances the liver becomes cancerous, and patients who have this disease have a high risk of developing a specific type of cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). People with lupus are at greater risks for HCC than those with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

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Infection Control

Liver diseases are difficult to control and cause significant morbidity and mortality. A person living in an area with a higher population of people infected with liver viruses may have higher chances of getting infected in comparison to a person living in a less risky community. Infectious agents can enter any organ through the digestive system. Among adults, most infections of the liver are acquired from the following sources: a) Through exposure to an infected person; b) Through injection of contaminated fluids (such as blood products, needles and syringes used during surgery); c) From sexual contact, which includes unprotected anal intercourse, sexual exposure before and after childbirth and before vaccination; d) From breast milk or oral fluid from pregnant mothers; e) Due to medical procedures; f) For immunocompromised persons; g) During the treatment of an autoimmune (rheumatoid) condition.

Prevention

A person can prevent liver disease if he or she knows it is going to happen. Some people are aware of the disease, but they simply do not care about how it will be prevented. At the same time, some people have not known that they were sick in the past and did not care about prevention. Prevention of liver diseases may involve abstinence from alcohol, eating healthful foods, staying physically active and avoiding stressful activities that could lead to organ damage and injury. There is a need to protect those with liver disease who are exposed to environmental chemicals as well. Many common drugs contain synthetic substances that could cause liver problems; therefore, caution should be exercised when taking medicines. Use of herbal medications can help in preventing liver problems.

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References

Al-Mansoury, M., Al-Rawiqi, I., Zamanian, S., & al-Wahani, N. (2012). Health facilities and healthcare professionals' knowledge about the management of primary liver failure. JAMA, 323(3), 323–330. doi:10.1001/jamahealth.2012.11

Cortes, E., Marques, P., Valderrama, M., & Martinez, R. (2012). Improving health outcomes for patients hospitalized for acute hepatic failure and decompensated cirrhosis: Findings into impact evaluation. Archives of Internal medicine, 172(12), 5087–5092.

Liu, W., Ren, Y. Z., Xu, D., Chen, Q., Han, Z., Tang, G.,… & Zhang, L.-Z. ("2015 Review Paper on Clinical Practice Guidance for Primary Care". Chinese Medical Association Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 26(4), 49-61. doi: 10.5945/jtcmj.2015.29

Mendenhall, J. S. et’ al. "Hepatic Fibrosis and Its Management." American Medical Association Journal of hepatology 22(5): 366–399. DOI 10.1001/ajh.2012.38

Morse, T., Lee, S., Koehler, S. R., Wong, C., & Wang, X. (2013). Current status of liver fibrosis and how it can be improved in China. BMC Hepatologic Research 13, 1–4.

Sheehan, U. B. ("Cancer in Non-hepatic Aspects.") Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 29 January 2017: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-and-wellness/cancer-in-non-hepatic-aspects/DS00013

"Cancer in Non-hepatic Aspects," Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

"Health and Weight Loss - Benefits, Contraindications." World Health Organization, World Health Organisation. World Health Organization. Web. 3 Jan. 2017.

Vissing, L. J. et'al. "Liver Cancer Risk Factors." Cambridge Journals Online. Cambridge Journals Online. 23 Nov. 2014. Web. 10 Jan. 2017.