Welcome to Francis Academic Press

International Journal of Frontiers in Medicine, 2025, 7(1); doi: 10.25236/IJFM.2025.070110.

Role of saponins in the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis

Author(s)

Lanzhen Xu, Keyu Shao

Corresponding Author:
Keyu Shao
Affiliation(s)

Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, China

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the mechanism of saponins in the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis. Based on a comprehensive analysis of relevant literature, the structural characteristics, distribution and main types of saponins were described, and the research progress of saponins in inhibiting lipid peroxidation, reducing hepatic stellate cell activation and proliferation, inhibiting immune inflammatory response, regulating mitochondrial function and other related mechanisms were analyzed in detail. Studies have shown that saponins have multi-target and multi-pathway anti-fibrosis effects, which provides a theoretical basis for their application in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Keywords

Saponins; Liver fibrosis; Action mechanism

Cite This Paper

Lanzhen Xu, Keyu Shao. Role of saponins in the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis. International Journal of Frontiers in Medicine (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 1: 64-69. https://doi.org/10.25236/IJFM.2025.070110.

References

[1] Caligiuri A, Gentilini A, Pastore M, et al. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Liver Fibrosis Regression[J]. Cells,2021,10(10).

[2] Li W, Liu W, Qian D, et al. Traditional Chinese medicine: An important source for discovering candidate agents against hepatic fibrosis[J]. Front Pharmacol,2022,13:962525.

[3] Yi Y. Pharmacological potential of ginseng and ginsenosides in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis[J]. J Ginseng Res,2024,48(2):122-128.

[4] An R, Zhang W, Huang X. Developments in the Antitumor Activity, Mechanisms of Action, Structural Modifications, and Structure-Activity Relationships of Steroidal Saponins[J]. Mini Rev Med Chem, 2022,22(17):2188-2212.

[5] Wang Y, Zhang H, Ri H C, et al. Deletion and tandem duplications of biosynthetic genes drive the diversity of triterpenoids in Aralia elata[J]. Nat Commun,2022,13(1):2224.

[6] Xu C, Xia B, Zhang Z, et al. Research progress in steroidal saponins from the genus Polygonatum: Chemical components, biosynthetic pathways and pharmacological effects[J]. Phytochemistry, 2023, 213:113731.

[7] Shoaib R M, Ahsan M Z, Akhtar U, et al. Ginsenoside Rb1, a principal effective ingredient of Panax notoginseng, produces pain antihypersensitivity by spinal microglial dynorphin A expression[J]. Neurosci Res,2023,188:75-87.

[8] Im D. Pro-Resolving Effect of Ginsenosides as an Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism of Panax ginseng [J]. Biomolecules,2020,10(3).

[9] Li J, Mosongo I, Li H, et al. Identification and Characterization of a Trillin Rhamnosyltransferase From Dioscorea zingiberensis[J]. Front Plant Sci,2021,12:713036.

[10] Chen Y, Tang Y, Yu S, et al. Advances in the pharmacological activities and mechanisms of diosgenin [J]. Chin J Nat Med,2015,13(8):578-587.

[11] Yu M, Chen H, Liu S, et al. Differential Expression of Genes Involved in Saikosaponin Biosynthesis Between Bupleurum chinense DC. and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd[J]. Front Genet, 2020, 11:583245.

[12] Wang Z, Wei B, Mu T, et al. Facile Synthesis of Saikosaponins[J]. Molecules,2021,26(7).

[13] Lin L, Zhou F, Shen S, et al. Fighting Liver Fibrosis with Naturally Occurring Antioxidants[J]. Planta Med,2018,84(18):1318-1333.

[14] Dai W, Qin Q, Li Z, et al. Curdione and Schisandrin C Synergistically Reverse Hepatic Fibrosis via Modulating the TGF-beta Pathway and Inhibiting Oxidative Stress[J]. Front Cell Dev Biol, 2021, 9:763864.

[15] Ma Z, Tian X, Yu S, et al. Liver Fibrosis Amelioration by Macrophage-Biomimetic Polydopamine Nanoparticles via Synergistically Alleviating Inflammation and Scavenging ROS[J]. Mol Pharm, 2024, 21(6):3040-3052.

[16] Gao Y, Yan J, Li J, et al. Ginsenoside Rg3 ameliorates acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity by suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress[J]. J Pharm Pharmacol,2021,73(3):322-331.

[17] Kim C, Jeong Y H, Kim N, et al. Hepatoprotective functions of jujuboside B[J]. J Nat Med, 2023, 77(1):87-95.

[18] Gong X, Shan L, Cao S, et al. Notoginsenoside R1, An Active Compound from Panax notoginseng, Inhibits Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Liver Fibrosis via MAPK Signaling Pathway[J]. Am J Chin Med, 2022,50(2):511-523.

[19] Cheng Z, Li F, Qie Y, et al. Hepatic Stellate Cell Membrane-Camouflaged Nanoparticles for Targeted Delivery of an Antifibrotic Agent to Hepatic Stellate Cells with Enhanced Antifibrosis Efficacy[J]. Nano Lett,2024,24(49):15827-15836.

[20] Yang J, Yang Y, Zhang C, et al. Epigenetic silencing of LncRNA ANRIL enhances liver fibrosis and HSC activation through activating AMPK pathway[J]. J Cell Mol Med,2020,24(4):2677-2687.

[21] Lin L, Zhou M, Que R, et al. Saikosaponin-d protects against liver fibrosis by regulating the estrogen receptor-beta/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway[J]. Biochem Cell Biol,2021,99(5):666-674.

[22] Wei X, Chen Y, Huang W. Ginsenoside Rg1 ameliorates liver fibrosis via suppressing epithelial to mesenchymal transition and reactive oxygen species production in vitro and in vivo[J]. Biofactors,2018.

[23] Cui L, Tan Y, Xu S, et al. Ginsenoside Rd, a natural production for attenuating fibrogenesis and inflammation in hepatic fibrosis by regulating the ERRalpha-mediated P2X7r pathway[J]. Food Funct, 2023,14(12):5606-5619.

[24] Bae J, Kim J E, Perumalsamy H, et al. Mass Cytometry Study on Hepatic Fibrosis and Its Drug-Induced Recovery Using Mouse Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells[J]. Front Immunol, 2022, 13:814030.

[25] Jia K, Ma Z, Zhang Y, et al. Picroside II promotes HSC apoptosis and inhibits the cholestatic liver fibrosis in Mdr2(-/-) mice by polarizing M1 macrophages and balancing immune responses[J]. Chin J Nat Med, 2024,22(7):582-598.

[26] Jin S, Guan T, Wang S, et al. Dioscin Alleviates Cisplatin-Induced Mucositis in Rats by Modulating Gut Microbiota, Enhancing Intestinal Barrier Function and Attenuating TLR4/NF-kappaB Signaling Cascade[J]. Int J Mol Sci,2022,23(8).

[27] Xu X, Guo W, Zhao L, et al. Exploring the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of gross saponins of Tribulus terrestris L. fruit by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based cell metabolomics approach[J]. J Sep Sci,2023,46(24):e2300531.

[28] Yan S, Zhang S, Du A, et al. Network pharmacology-based identification of significant pathway for protection of Yinhuang granule in a mice model of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease[J]. Phytomedicine,2021,91:153666.

[29] Yong H, Shan S, Wang S, et al. Activation of mitophagy by rapamycin eliminated the accumulation of TDP-43 on mitochondrial and promoted the resolution of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice[J]. Toxicology, 2022,471:153176. 

[30] Bi Y, Liu S, Qin X, et al. FUNDC1 interacts with GPx4 to govern hepatic ferroptosis and fibrotic injury through a mitophagy-dependent manner[J]. J Adv Res,2024,55:45-60.

[31] Li X, Zhang W, Cao Q, et al. Mitochondrial dysfunction in fibrotic diseases[J]. Cell Death Discov,2020,6:80.

[32] Kwan K K L, Yun H, Dong T T X, et al. Ginsenosides attenuate bioenergetics and morphology of mitochondria in cultured PC12 cells under the insult of amyloid beta-peptide[J]. J Ginseng Res,2021,45(4):473-481.

[33] Zhao X, Cong X, Zheng L, et al. Dioscin, a natural steroid saponin, shows remarkable protective effect against acetaminophen-induced liver damage in vitro and in vivo[J]. Toxicol Lett, 2012, 214(1):69-80.

[34] Zhang L, Hu Y, Qi S, et al. Astragalus saponins and its main constituents ameliorate ductular reaction and liver fibrosis in a mouse model of DDC-induced cholestatic liver disease[J]. Front Pharmacol,2022,13:965914.

[35] Li X, Wang X, Han C, et al. Astragaloside IV suppresses collagen production of activated hepatic stellate cells via oxidative stress-mediated p38 MAPK pathway[J]. Free Radic Biol Med,2013,60:168-176.

[36] Han Z, Zhu J, Han Z. Evaluation of astragaloside IV in hepatic fibrosis: A meta-analysis[J]. Medicine (Baltimore),2021,100(13):e25105.

[37] Zhang X, Shi G, Sun Y, et al. Triterpenes derived from hydrolyzate of total Gynostemma pentaphyllum saponins with anti-hepatic fibrosis and protective activity against H(2)O(2)-induced injury[J]. Phytochemistry,2017,144:226-232.

[38] Song Y, Dong S, Wei B, et al. Metabolomic mechanisms of gypenoside against liver fibrosis in rats: An integrative analysis of proteomics and metabolomics data[J]. PLoS One,2017,12(3):e173598.