Antioxidant therapy in chronic liver diseases

In chronic liver diseases with inflammatory reactions (chronic viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, chemicals and drug induced hepatitis, Wilson disease, haemochromatosis) the oxidative stress, the cell alteration induced by free radicals is an important part of the pathogeneis beside the aetiological factors. In this paper the development of free radicals and their physiological role are demonstrated. The factors, which are influenced by the free radicals and antioxidants, as well as the pathological effects caused by oxidative stress in biological systems are discussed in details. The authors demonstrate the free radical processes as key factors in alcoholic liver diseases and non-acoholic steatohepatitis, furthermore the possible treatment modalities in the inhibition of these alterations. Also the free radical processes in chronic viral hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis are discussed as well. The oxidative stress is able to enhance the progression of chronic inflammatory liver disease independently from the aetiological factor or with it together. That is why the antioxidant drugs could be applied also in the treatment of chronic liver diseases beside the therapy based on the aetiological factors.