Liver capsule

Drug form: capsule

Indications: An adjuvant drug for the treatment of fatty liver and improving lipid profile (triglyceride and cholesterol); hepatoprotective

Comments: The metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and elimination of waste and toxins from blood are the most important liver functions. Failure to remove pathogenic materials such as fat results in accumulation of fat in hepatocytes, obstruction of liver ducts and pores, fatty liver disease, and finally, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Predisposing factors for fatty liver include alcohol consumption, obesity, liver temperament inclined to coldness and moisture, malnutrition, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. Furthermore, some types of skin patches are attributed to liver dysfunction. This drug modulates blood pungency through elimination of excess humors and removes the obstruction of blocked liver ducts.

Common fumitory, Chicory, Coriander, rhubarb, Jujube, and Senna protect against carbon tetrachloride–induced liver injury in animal studies and lower the level of liver enzymes significantly. The components of this drug have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and they also reduce blood sugar levels.

Composition: Coriandrum Sativum seed, Fumaria officinalis, Lactuca sativa seed, Zizyphus Jujube, Cychorium intybus seed, Rheum palmatum root, Cassia acutifolia, Thymus vulgaris leaf

Traditional mechanisms of action: unclogging blocked liver ducts; blood purification; alleviation of feeling of intense heat, thirsty, and blood pungency; acting as a tonic of liver and stomach; making pathogenic materials ready to be excreted out of the body; being detergent and laxative

Drug temperament: Moderate

Contraindications: Not known

Side effects: Not reported. A mild laxative effect is occasionally observed.

Administration and dosage: 2 capsules orally half an hour before breakfast and at bedtime. To prepare a decoction, 3 gram of powdered drug should be boiled in one and a half glass of water for 10 minutes. After that the decoction should be filtered and strained and drunk warm.

Interactions: Drug is better absorbed in fasting; however, consumption after meal is also recommended under physician consideration according to the patient temperament and type of disorder.

Pregnancy and lactation: No adverse effects expected in these two periods.

Recommendations: Drinking the decoction is more effective in patients with impaired liver absorption.

Reference:

1. Aqili-Khurasani. Makhzan-al-Adviyah (The Storehouse of Medicaments. Tehran: Bavardaran publication; 2001.
2. Aqili-Khurasani. Gharabadin kabir. Vol 1. Tehran: The Institute for Medical History-Islamic and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences; 2007.
3. Ibn-e-sina. Al-Qanoon fi al-Tibb. Vol 1. shamsedine E, editor. Beirut, Lebanon: Alaalami Beirut library Press; 2005.
4. Saleh I. Alqasoumi, Mohammad S. Al-Dosari, Abdulmalik Alsheikh,Maged Abdel-Kader. Evaluation of the Hepatoprotective Effect of Fumaria parviflora and Momordica balsamina from Saudi Folk Medicine Against Experimentally Induced Liver Injury in Rats. Research Journal of Medicinal Plant 3(1):9-15. 2009
5. Sadeghi Heibatollah, Nikbakht Mohammad Reza; Ghaitasi Izadpanah and Sabzali Sohailla. Hepatoprotective effect of Cichorium intybus on CCl4-induced liver damage in rats.  African Journal of Biochemistry Research Vol.2 (6), pp. 141-144, June 2008
6. Pandey A, Bigoniya P, Raj V, Patel KK: Pharmacological screening of Coriandrum sativum Linn. for hepatoprotective activity. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences July-September 2011; 3(3):435-41.
7. Wang JB, Zhao HP, Zhao YL, Jin C, Liu DJ, Kong WJ, Fang F, Zhang L, Wang HJ, Xiao XH. Hepatotoxicity or hepatoprotection? Pattern recognition for the paradoxical effect of the Chinese herb Rheum palmatum L. in treating rat liver injury. PLoS One. 2011;6(9):e24498. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024498. Epub 2011 Sep 6.
8. Wang, D. Y., Zhao, Y., Jiao, Y. D., Yu, L. H., Yang, S., & Yang, X. B. (2012). Antioxidative and hepatoprotective effects of the polysaccharides from Zizyphus jujube cv. Shaanbeitanzao. Carbohydrate Polymers, 88(4), 1453-1459.
9. Veerbahu RM. R Shanmugasundram, VK Devi, PS Tresina. Hepatoprotective activity of ethanol extract of Clitoria ternatea L. and Cassia angustofolia vahl leafs against CCl4 induced liver toxicity in rats. IRJP 1(1) 2010: 210-205