Published Paper Details:

Liver diseases remain a significant global health concern, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality due to factors such as viral infections, alcohol abuse, and exposure to hepatotoxic chemicals. Conventional pharmacotherapies for liver disorders are often limited by adverse effects and incomplete efficacy, underscoring the need for safer and more effective alternatives. Medicinal plants have garnered increasing attention for their hepatoprotective potential, attributed primarily to their diverse phytoconstituents, including flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolics, and terpenoids. This review systematically compiles and critically examines the evidence supporting the hepatoprotective activities of various medicinal plants, highlighting their mechanisms of action--such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, membrane-stabilizing, and antifibrotic effects--as demonstrated in preclinical and, in some cases, clinical studies. Among these botanicals, Cosmostigma racemosum (family Asclepiadaceae) remains underexplored despite its traditional use and rich phytochemical profile. No comprehensive pharmacological studies have yet established its hepatoprotective efficacy. Therefore, this review not only synthesizes current knowledge of established hepatoprotective plants but also delineates the rationale for investigating Cosmostigma racemosum as a novel candidate. Future research into this species could reveal promising bioactive compounds capable of mitigating liver injury and enhancing hepatic function. Such investigations are expected to contribute significantly to the development of plant-based hepatoprotective therapeutics with improved safety and efficacy profiles.