Natural remedies for liver cleansing

Overeating, drug abuse, pollution, cigarette smoking, as well as stress are all potential threats to the health of our liver.

The use of herbal products based on medicinal herbs such as herbal teas and supplements can help keep our liver healthy by improving its functionality.

Liver disorders

The most common pathologies that can affect the liver are:

• Fatty liver disease : commonly called fatty liver, it is a disease associated with alcohol abuse or poor diet and is characterized by an accumulation of fat in the liver.
• Hepatitis : Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by toxic substances or viruses.
• Liver Fibrosis : Fibrosis is a liver disease characterized by the formation of a significant amount of scar tissue. It occurs when the liver repeatedly tries to repair and replace damaged cells.
• Liver cirrhosis : It is a serious liver disease that irreversibly damages this organ. The main cause is alcohol consumption, but it can also occur as a result of chronic viral hepatitis, fatty liver and fibrosis.
• Liver failure : This is a serious form of liver failure that can be caused by viral infections or cirrhosis. Acute liver failure occurs when it develops quickly, over days or weeks; chronic liver failure occurs gradually (over months or years).

Symptoms and causes of liver problems

Symptoms of liver problems can vary depending on the type of problem. Sometimes liver disorders do not cause any symptoms. The disorder can only be identified through diagnostic tests.

Some of the most common symptoms are : jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), dark urine, pale stools, intense itching, tendency to bruise or bleed easily, chronic fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdomen).

Liver disorders can be caused by drug or alcohol abuse, obesity, poor diet, rare diseases, and viral and/or bacterial diseases. 

Medicinal plants with purifying and detoxifying properties

Because of its ability to regenerate, the liver can continue to function even after significant damage, making early diagnosis of liver disease particularly difficult. However, early recognition of symptoms and appropriate treatment are essential to avoid serious complications such as cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer.

• Milk thistle (Sylibum marianum L.) : Milk thistle seeds contain three essential substances: silybin, silychristin and silydianin, grouped under the name of silymarin, a substance with liver-purifying and protective properties. Milk thistle is known for its cholagogue and liver-decongesting properties, which are of great help against digestive disorders and many liver diseases.
• Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus): the artichoke flowers are eaten, but in phytotherapy the leaves are mainly used, as it is the part richest in active ingredients. The artichoke has a digestive and detoxifying action on the liver. It stimulates the production of bile, facilitating the digestion of fats and promotes intestinal transit.
• Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) : Nettle has purifying and diuretic properties, that is, it promotes drainage and the elimination of excess fluids and uric acid. Furthermore, thanks to the presence of antioxidants, it plays a protective and anti-inflammatory role on the liver.
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) : traditionally, the leaves and flowering tops of rosemary are used in phytotherapy. This plant has hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties, which protect liver cells from oxidative damage, thus supporting liver function. These effects are mainly due to carnosolic acid and carnosol, two tricyclic phenolic diterpenes, as well as its phenolic acids, especially rosmarinic acid.
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) : the leaves and especially the roots of dandelion have been known for centuries for their draining and liver-purifying properties. The bitter principles contained in the plant have a stimulating action on liver function, facilitating the elimination of toxins, the production of bile and digestion. Dandelion also has diuretic properties, promoting the elimination of excess fluids and uric acid.

Liver Health Supplements

The agricultural herbalist Erbe di Mauro offers a specific supplement for liver health. The product in question is called NATURE DETOX , it is a capsule supplement based on plant extracts of artichoke, milk thistle, nettle, rosemary and dandelion, all herbs specifically chosen for their beneficial action on the liver and digestive system.