An Insight on Mechanism of Hepatoprotective Herbs Containing Tannins

Abstract

Tannins are polyphenolic compounds that secondary metabolties of the plants. Tannins play a prominent role in general defense strategies of plants. Tannins are known to have hepato-protective activity. Some of the common tannins that exhibit hepato- protective activity include tannic acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, ellagitannin, gallotannin, proanthocynidines etc. The present chapter includes the review of hepatoprotective action of some of the herbs. It can be concluded from the exhaustive study that tannins are majorly found in family like myrtaceae, mimosaceae, combretaceae, rosaceae, anacardiaceae etc. The common mechanism of actions of tannin containing herbs exhibits hepato- protective action includes free radical scavenging. The tannin containing drugs supress or inhibit the formation of free radicals generated due to the metabolism of hepatotoxins. Tannins are widely used in marketed formulations that are used in the treatment of hepato-toxicity. The chapter also includes the compilation of herbal marketed formulations available for the treatment of liver toxicity and liver diseases.