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Examining the Pathogenesis of MAFLD and the Medicinal Properties of Natural Products from a Metabolic Perspective
Summary
This review examines the causes and potential treatments for metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), which affects about two-fifths of the global population. While focused on natural product remedies rather than microplastics, the metabolic pathways discussed, including lipid metabolism disruption and oxidative stress, are the same mechanisms through which microplastics have been shown to damage liver cells. Understanding these pathways helps explain how microplastic exposure could contribute to liver disease.
Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), characterized primarily by hepatic steatosis, has become the most prevalent liver disease worldwide, affecting approximately two-fifths of the global population. The pathogenesis of MAFLD is extremely complex, and to date, there are no approved therapeutic drugs for clinical use. Considerable evidence indicates that various metabolic disorders play a pivotal role in the progression of MAFLD, including lipids, carbohydrates, amino acids, and micronutrients. In recent years, the medicinal properties of natural products have attracted widespread attention, and numerous studies have reported their efficacy in ameliorating metabolic disorders and subsequently alleviating MAFLD. This review aims to summarize the metabolic-associated pathological mechanisms of MAFLD, as well as the natural products that regulate metabolic pathways to alleviate MAFLD.
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