Fatty Liver Disease Treatment: Henna May Help Reverse Liver Damage And Repair Liver Fibrosis, Says Japanese Study

Henna dye may do more than colour hair. A Japanese study found that a natural compound in the henna plant could help reverse liver damage and repair liver fibrosis.

A recent study from Japan suggests that the plant commonly used for henna dye may hold promise for liver health. Scientists at Osaka Metropolitan University, it was discovered that a substance that is obtained from the henna plant called Lawsone could mediate between the liver fibrosis process, which is accumulation of scar tissue in liver as a result of long-term damage of the liver.

What is Liver Fibrosis?

In other words, when the liver is damaged repeatedly (by alcohol, virus, fatty liver disease or other factors) it triggers the activation of the cells in this case the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Such cells begin to secrete collagen and fibrous tissue. As the scar tissue proliferates with time, there will be lesser health tissue on the liver hence less easy functioning of the liver. Uncontrolled, fibrosis may lead to cirrhosis, which is quite irreparable. That is, it is important to prevent liver damage at the first stage.

Henna May Help Reverse Liver Damage: What Research Says?

The researchers identified almost 1,880 chemicals to filter the results to those that would selectively attack the activated HSCs in the study. They found that the plant pigment lawsone (membrane in the henna plant, Lawsonia inermis) could decrease fibrosis indicators in cells and animals.

• In activated HSCs, Lawsone lowered the concentration of fibrotic markers, including a-SMA (alpha smooth muscle actin) and COL1A (type I collagen).
• It enhanced CYGB (cytoglobin), which is a protective protein attached to antioxidant defence, and revert HSCs to their inactive (less harmful) condition.
• Lawsone treatment in mice with induced liver fibrosis led to visibly better liver tissue, reduced collagen deposition and better liver enzyme profiles.

A big gap currently exists in the treatments that are really reversing liver fibrosis as opposed to slowing it. The authors of the study state that it is a big step to be able to discover a compound that will be able to push back scarring and restore liver architecture towards normal.

Tips to Protect Your Liver Naturally

Here are tips to safeguard your liver:

1. Limit alcohol or avoid alcohol excess.
2. Be fit and consume fruits, vegetables, low-fat protein and whole grains in your diet.
3. Stay physically active.
4. Avoid risky behaviour that can put you at risk of contracting viral hepatitis infections.
5. Go for regular medical check-ups, particularly when you are known to be at risk as a result of those factors that can affect the liver like fatty liver disease or type diabetes.

It is great to find out that the pigment of the henna plant can potentially be used to reverse the scar tissue of the liver and that this will someday be used to treat people. However, at this particular moment it is still pre-clinical research. In the meantime, the best approach is to take care of your liver by being healthy.