Study Reviews Liver-Protective Foods

by | Apr 20, 2016 | 2014, Botanicals, Fruits and Vegetables, Liver Health, Propolis

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Information is listed on grapefruit, cranberries, blueberries, grapes, prickly pear, chamomille, silymarin, spirulina, and propolis.  

In a 2014 review (1), researchers conducted a review of fruits, plants, resins, and carbohydrates that have liver-protecting properties:

Grapefruit – In addition to vitamin C, folic acid, phenolic acid, potassium, calcium, iron, beta-carotene and lycopene, (2)] grapefruit contains the highest amounts of an antioxidant called naringin, which humans break down to into naringenin. (3) 20 to 50 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight per day of naringenin in mice helped minimize liver damage by maintaining a healthy level of the liver enzymes ALT, AST, ALP, and protein (bilirubin) levels (4).

Cranberries – 7 milligrams of cranberries per kilogram of bodyweight can help maintain healthy levels of ALT, AST, and bilibrubin as well as maintaining the energy-producing part of the cell, the mitochondrion, in mice (5).

Blueberries – 0.6 grams of blueberries per 10 grams of food fed to mice for 21 to 35 days improved function of immune system cells (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+, and T lymphocytes) (6).

Grapes – grapes contain high amounts of resveratrol, a very potent antioxidant that, when given to mice in doses of 5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, “significantly reduced” levels of cell damage called MDA (7, 8).

Prickly pear juice (Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermes) – when given to rats in doses of 20 to 40 milliliters per kilogram of bodyweight “reduced liver lipid and protein oxidation, decreased histopathologic lesions, and inhibited alterations in antioxidant enzymes and the release of biochemical markers” (9).

Chamomille – Given to rats in doses of up to 2.0 grams per kilogram of bodyweight “alleviated, or completely resolved, ethanol-induced degenerative alterations, including disorganizationof cell nuclei and gland morphology with erosion in the gastric mucosa.” (10).

Silymarin – 25 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight in rats for 15 days helped lower ALT levels by 49.4%, AST levels by 43.6%, and ALP levels by 53.4% (11).

Spirulina (blue-green algae) – 100 micrograms per kilogram of bodyweight proved better than synthetic beta-carotene at protecting liver tissue in rats from carbon tetrachloride damage, especially in keeping alkaline phosphatase significantly lower (44.73 units/milliter) compared to the synthetic beta-carotene (81.52 U/mL) and those given neither spirulina or synthetic beta-carotene (84.46 U/mL) (12).

Propolis (bee glue) – 100 mg/kg bw in mice (13) “was found to decrease significantly” ALT levels when compared to mice not given propolis (65.1 versus 89 Units/Liter).

For the researchers, “The plants, fruits, and compounds described could offer novel alternatives to the limited therapeutic options that exist for the treatment of liver diseases: thus, these foods should be considered in future studies.”

Source: Madrigal-Santillán, Eduardo, et al. “Review of natural products with hepatoprotective effects.” World J Gastroenterol 20.40 (2014): 14787-14804.

© 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Posted December 29, 2014.

References:

  1. World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2014; 20(40): 14787–14804. Published online Oct 28, 2014. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i40.14787 PMCID: PMC4209543
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  9. Cheshchevik VT, Lapshina EA, Dremza IK, Zabrodskaya SV, Reiter RJ, Prokopchik NI, Zavodnik IB. Rat liver mitochondrial damage under acute or chronic carbon tetrachloride-induced intoxication: protection by melatonin and cranberry flavonoids. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2012; 261: 271-279
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