A review on hepatoprotective and Anti-HIV action of traditional herbs to reduce the hepatotoxicity of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART)

Abstract

Drugs are well thought-out to be one among the significant causes of liver injury and drug-induced hepatotoxicity may result in asymptomatic elevation of liver enzymes to hepatic failure. In the present scenario, the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically reduced morbidity and mortality among patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection. However to date, hepatotoxicity has been associated with all currently used antiretroviral (ARV) drug regimens. Therefore it is the need of this hour to seek for solutions from ancient herbs that has been reported to have anti-retroviral as well as hepatoprotective activity in order to maximize the benefit and minimize the risk of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Since age-old times, medicinal plants play a significant role against on various diseases. The traditional Siddha system of medicine is one among the oldest traditional system which holds enormous literary evidences of various medicinal herbs that have potent hepatoprotective activity. The present article explores the scientific basis for the traditional literature evidences on the hepatoprotective and antiretroviral action of selective herbs so that they can complement in reducing the hepatotoxicity of conventional antiretrovirals.