Liver injury and liver protection: mechanisms and novel treatment strategies

摘要

Worldwide an increasing impact of liver disease is being recognized. Moreover, liver injury due to pharmacological treatment or surgical intervention plays an important role. Recent years have brought new insights into the pathomechanisms of liver injury. In some cases this provides the basis for novel therapeutic strategies. Thus, in the age of translational research hepatology gives an excellent example for progress. To pick just one of many novel strategies: in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury early generation of sinusoidal oxidative stress has been identified as major factor. Consequently, the application of extracellular antioxidants such as glutathione with the beginning of reperfusion has been developed as protective strategy. Within a few years the link from animal experiments to clinical trials has been made.