Mitochondria are double-membrane organelles that play a role in
ATP synthesis,
calcium homeostasis, oxidation-reduction status, apoptosis, and
inflammation. Several human disorders have been linked to
mitochondrial dysfunction. It has been found that traditional therapeutic herbs are effective on
alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (
NAFLD) which are leading causes of
liver cirrhosis and
hepatocellular carcinoma. The generation of
reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to oxidative stress is caused by
mitochondrial dysfunction and is considered critical for treatment. The role of oxidative stress,
lipid toxicity, and
inflammation in
NAFLD are well known.
NAFLD is a chronic
liver disease that commonly progresses to
cirrhosis and chronic
liver disease, and people with
obesity,
insulin resistance, diabetes,
hyperlipidemia, and
hypertension are at a higher risk of developing
NAFLD.
NAFLD is associated with a number of pathological factors, including
insulin resistance,
lipid metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress,
inflammation, apoptosis, and
fibrosis. As a result, the improvement in steatosis and
inflammation is enough to entice researchers to look into
liver disease treatment. However,
antioxidant treatment has not been very effective for
liver disease. Additionally, it has been suggested that the beneficial effects of
herbal medicines on immunity and
inflammation are governed by various mechanisms for lipid metabolism and
inflammation control. This review provided a summary of research on
herbal medicines for the therapeutic implementation of mitochondria-mediated ROS production in
liver disease as well as clinical applications through herbal medicine. In addition, the pathophysiology of common liver disorders such as ALD and
NAFLD would be investigated in the role that mitochondria play in the process to open new therapeutic avenues in the management of patients with
liver disease.