Herbal products and adverse effects on the liver

Herbal products and adverse effects on the liver

The most recent issue of the Gastroenterology reviews adverse effects and mechanisms.

Herbal products have been used for centuries among indigenous people to treat symptoms and illnesses.

Recently, their use in Western countries has grown significantly, rivaling that of prescription medications.


Dr Leonard Seeff and colleagues from Pennsylvania, USA report that herbal products are used mainly for weight loss, and bodybuilding purposes but also to improve well-being and symptoms of chronic diseases.
Many people believe that because they are natural, they must be effective and safe.

However, these beliefs are erroneous.

Highly effective antiviral drugs make efforts to treat hepatitis C with herbal products redundant

Gastroenterology

The researchers noted that few herbal products have been studied in well-designed controlled trials of patients with liver or other diseases, despite testimony to the contrary.

The research team found that current highly effective antiviral drugs make efforts to treat hepatitis C with herbal products redundant.

The team observed that herbal products are no safer than conventional drugs, and have caused liver injury severe enough to require transplantation or cause death.

Furthermore, their efficacy, safety, and claims are not assessed by regulatory agencies, and there is uncertainty about their reported and unreported contents.

Dr Seeff's team concludes, "We review the history of commonly used herbal products, as well as their purported efficacies and mechanisms and their adverse effects."

Gastroenterol 2015(148): 3: 517–532.e3
26 February 2015