Ethnopharmacological relevance: Medicinal and edible herbs (MEHs), including ginger (Zingiber officinale), goji berries (Lycium barbarum), and hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida), serve dual roles as both dietary components and therapeutic agents. Their pharmacological activities are primarily attributed to natural bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides polyphenols, flavonoids, and saponins. These constituents exhibit multifunctional properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects.
Aims of the review: This study identifies 61 herbs that exhibit protective effects against Alcoholic liver disease (ALD). These herbs are classified according to their medicinal parts and reviewed with regard to their source, function, active ingredients, signaling pathways, and mechanisms of action.
Materials and methods: This study screened 106 MEHs officially recognized in China as of 2025 through a comprehensive search of both domestic and international databases (CNKI, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, ACS database, Springer database, Elsevier ScienceDirect, PubMed).
Results: In this review, we summarize the mechanisms and pharmacological activities of MEHs, thereby providing insights for the development of drugs, functional foods, and health products aimed at the prevention and treatment of ALD.
Conclusions: Current clinical management of ALD primarily depends on monotherapeutic approaches utilizing single active components with poorly defined molecular targets. This strategy carries risks of off-target effects and dose-limiting toxicities, thereby constraining its broader therapeutic utility. Compared to pure drugs, these herbs generally have fewer adverse effects, are suitable for prolonged use, and are appropriate for a wide range of people, especially those with weaker constitutions.
Keywords: Alcoholic liver disease; Medicinal and edible herbs; Medicinal parts.
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