The 8 best drugs to restore your liver

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The liver is the largest biochemical factory in the body, on which most of the processes occurring in it are tied in one way or another. About the fact that it is this organ that neutralizes most of the toxic substances. one way or another that got into the body is well known. But this is far from the only function of the organ:

1. accepts, processes, if necessary, and distributes all substances entering the body through the gastrointestinal tract;
2. secreting bile, ensures the normal digestion of fats, and, consequently, the intake of fat-soluble vitamins;
3. all serum proteins are synthesized in the liver, including coagulation factors;
4. synthesizes heme – the very substance that is able to absorb oxygen from the air and give it to tissues;
5. it is in this organ that glucose is stored in the form of glycogen, iron, copper, vitamin A;
6. synthesizing bile, the liver removes bilirubin from the body – a toxic decay product of 'aged' blood cells;
7. with bile, excess cholesterol is also excreted from the body, which the liver converts into bile acids.

To support the functions of the organ, you can take drugs to restore and protect the liver – hepatoprotectors. Note that it is certainly possible for a healthy person to use these means 'just in case', of course, but it is pointless. The liver itself is endowed with tremendous capacity for recovery and, if not disturbed, perfectly maintains itself in a healthy state. It makes sense to take means to restore the liver if:

1. long holidays are approaching (New Year, May, etc.) with expected food and alcohol excesses;
2. with existing hepatitis of an infectious origin to support liver function;
3. overweight: obesity often entails a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, in which excess fat is deposited not only under the skin and around internal organs, but also in the liver cells – hepatocytes – disrupting their normal functions;
4. people prone to alcohol abuse: alcoholic fibrosis (cirrhosis) of the liver, alas, is not just a horror story;
5. if the profession forces you to come into contact with substances that have a toxic effect on the liver: oil refined products, arsenic, mercury, phosphorus;
6. with prolonged use of drugs, especially paracetamol, which has proven hepatotoxic properties.
7. people undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment.

We have collected in the ranking the best drugs for liver recovery. It should be noted that most of them are not recommended during pregnancy – but this does not mean any particular 'harmful', but is due to the fact that, for obvious reasons, it is impossible to conduct a study of the effectiveness and safety of the drug on pregnant women.

Rating of the best drugs for liver restoration

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
the best Preparations based on plant extracts	1	Silymarin 150 mg Now Foods	RUB 1,050
	2	Legalon	RUB 611
	3	Artichoke extract	327 r
the best Preparations based on essential phospholipids	1	Phosphogliv	476 r
	2	Essentiale forte N	RUB 1,076
	3	Essliver forte	335 RUB
the best drugs based on other compounds	1	Ursodeoxycholic acid	RUB 1,556
	2	Ademetionine	RUB 1,975

The best preparations based on plant extracts

Medicinal plants are the first pharmacy of mankind. With the development of medicine and chemistry, some of the herbal 'drugs' have lost their relevance due to inefficiency, others. on the contrary, they were carefully studied, and the useful substances from them began to be specially isolated in a concentrated form and purified from impurities in order to obtain drugs with standard dosages and a clearly predictable effect.

Silymarin 150 mg Now Foods

Rating: 4.8

Manufactured in the USA.

Contains standardized milk thistle extract, 150 mg. It is a complex of natural plant substances with the following properties:

1. antioxidant – protect liver cells from reactive oxygen species that appear under the influence of toxic substances;
2. help to reduce the activity of inflammation,
3. help accelerate protein synthesis in hepatocytes,
4. accelerate the recovery of liver cells,
5. help prevent fibrosis.

Take silymarin for prophylactic purposes, you need 1 capsule 3 times a day for 3-4 months, 1 course per year. Thus, a package of 120 capsules is enough for a course, and at the moment this is one of the most economical options for effective support for liver recovery, which made us include the drug in the rating. Please note that this is a dietary supplement, that is, a drug not intended for the treatment of serious diseases. Another important point: milk thistle bioflavonoids are effective only when used as a course. That is, 1 – 2 tablets before the planned alcoholic entertainment will not bring the expected effect.

The safety of use during pregnancy has not been tested.

Advantages

• natural product;
• profitability.

disadvantages

• not sold in regular pharmacies, you need to order online,
• Dietary supplement.

Legalon

Rating: 4.7

This is another preparation based on milk thistle extract. We included it in the rating because, unlike the previous one, it is not a dietary supplement, but a drug that can be bought at a pharmacy, produced by the German company Madaus. Available in 70 mg tablets and 140 mg capsules, packs of 60 pieces. Considering that the recommended dosage in the instructions is 140 mg 3 times a day, it is wiser to purchase capsules immediately. The mechanism of action is identical to other silymarin preparations (see above).

Contraindicated in case of individual intolerance.

Advantages

• medicinal product with proven efficacy and safety;

disadvantages

• high price.

Finishing the conversation about milk thistle preparations, we must mention that pharmacies often offer to buy cheap meal of this plant to restore the liver. Indeed, the cake obtained after squeezing milk thistle oil contains up to 5% silymarin – a natural complex of substances that protect the liver, that is, a teaspoon of meal can contain a single dosage of this substance. But there is one caveat – silymarin is fat-soluble, that is, if you just drink the meal and wash it down with water, the nutrients simply will not be absorbed in the intestines. Therefore, if you, after reading our rating, still decide to save money, take milk thistle meal along with food that contains fats: milk, salad with oil dressing, a sandwich with butter, and so on. Nevertheless, we advise you not to use meal, the amount of active substances in which no one has tested or standardized, but factory extracts with a precisely measured dosage.

Artichoke extract

Rating: 4.2

Trade names: Artichoke leaf extract, Hofitol.

Artichoke extract works in several ways. As a hepatoprotector, it protects the membranes of hepatic cells from oxidative stress, normalizes protein metabolism, and helps to eliminate toxic substances from the body. In addition, it has a mild choleretic effect and improves kidney function.

In pharmacies, you can buy Artichoke leaf extract 300 mg produced by the German company Hexal or the French drug Hofitol (200 mg film-coated tablets). The German drug is used 1 tablet 3 times a day French – 2 tablets three times a day, a course of 2 – 3 weeks.

Both drugs are approved for use during pregnancy.

Since the artichoke has a mild choleretic effect, it is contraindicated for those suffering from cholelithiasis and other diseases leading to obstruction (blockage) of the bile ducts.

Advantages

• natural preparation;
• relatively low price.

disadvantages

• contraindicated in cholelithiasis.

The best preparations based on essential phospholipids

Essential phospholipids are special substances that are part of the cell membranes of any organ. In the membranes of hepatocytes, the content of essential phospholipids reaches 70%. Therefore, the main direction of action of such drugs is to restore the integrity of the membranes of liver cells and protect them from further damage. But apart from this, essential phospholipids:

1. normalize metabolic processes in liver cells,
2. increase detoxification potential (ability to neutralize or remove toxic substances);
3. normalize the metabolism of fats, preventing their deposition in liver cells;
4. reduce the activity of fibrosis (degeneration into connective tissue.

Phosphogliv

Rating: 4.6

This is a domestic development. created at the Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry. V.N. Orekhovich. In addition to phospholipids, the preparation contains glycyrrhizic acid. This substance is found naturally in licorice roots. It works as an antioxidant, protecting liver cells from toxic substances, has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to stabilize the membranes of hepatocytes. Thus, Phosphogliv contains two substances that promote the regeneration of liver cells. Some studies have shown that glycyrrhizic acid helps to suppress the activity of the virus in viral hepatitis, so phosphogliv can be recommended primarily for those who have encountered such a pathology (this does not mean that it is able to replace the antiviral drugs prescribed by a doctor!).

It is produced in capsules, 50 pieces per pack (the instructions mention packs of 100 and 200 capsules, but we did not find them in online pharmacies). You can take from 12 years old, for children – 1 capsule 3 times a day, for adults – 1 – 2 capsules three times a day.

Not recommended in pregnancy due to insufficiently studied safety.

The course of treatment recommended by the manufacturer is 3 – 6 months, but for a practically healthy person who wants to support liver recovery, a prophylactic monthly course will be enough once every six months.

Advantages

• two active ingredients aimed at restoring the liver,
• profitability (in comparison with other drugs from the group of essential phospholipids).

disadvantages

• not

Essentiale forte N

Rating: 4.4

Produced by the French company Sanofi.

Available in 300 mg capsules, 30 and 90 capsules per pack. Inside the capsule are essential phospholipids and vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

The drug can be used by both adults and adolescents over 12 years old, provided that their weight is more than 43 kg. It must be taken 2 capsules three times a day.

The drug is approved for use in pregnant women, moreover, one of its indications includes early gestosis (speaking in Russian – toxicosis of early pregnancy). Nevertheless, in such a situation, Essentiale forte N must be taken strictly under the supervision of a doctor.

The duration of admission is not limited, but if we are not talking about treating serious diseases, but about maintaining the liver in practically healthy people. a monthly course repeated every six months is sufficient.

The remedy is contraindicated in case of soy intolerance and hypersensitivity to phosphatidylcholine.

Considering that 6 capsules are needed per day, a prophylactic course will require at least 2 packs of 90 capsules each.

Advantages

• original French drug,
• high content of essential phospholipids,
• approved for use by pregnant women

disadvantages

• high price.

Essliver forte

Rating: 4.3

This remedy could be called the Indian analogue of Essentiale, if not for it 'but' – Essliver Forte contains vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B6, B12), niacin (PP), vitamin E, the dosage of these vitamins several times exceed the daily norms for a healthy person. Of course, this will not lead to hypervitaminosis: taking vitamins in tablets or capsules to get their excess is impossible (with the exception of vitamin A): the body will simply remove the excess. Nevertheless, for a healthy person, such a quantity of vitamins seems to be useless, and for patients with significantly impaired liver function, they, again, are an additional burden on this organ.

On the other hand, such a combination can be very useful in a situation of excessive alcohol consumption, since the neutralization of alcohol just requires an increased consumption of B vitamins. Essliver Forte can also be recommended for people prone to hypovitaminosis due to certain eating habits – the use of fast food, semi-finished products .

Available in capsules of 30 or 50 pieces per pack.

It can be used from 12 years old. Teenagers – 1 capsule 3 times a day, adults – 2 capsules 3 times a day with meals. The duration of the course is no more than three months, when it comes to prevention, it is better to limit yourself to a month of admission.

Not recommended in pregnancy due to insufficiently studied safety. Contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to the components of the drug.

Advantages

• not only contributes to the protection of the liver, but can also compensate for the lack of B vitamins
• relatively low price for 1 package.

disadvantages

• Considering the number of capsules per day, a monthly course will require at least 3 packs of 50 pieces plus one pack of 30 pieces each, which ultimately practically negates the price advantage over other essential phospholipid preparations.

The best drugs based on other compounds

In this section of the rating, we have collected drugs that cannot be combined by origin or mechanism of action.

Ursodeoxycholic acid

Rating: 4.5

Trade names: Ursosan, Ursofalk, Livedeksa.

Natural bile acid in the human body is produced in extremely small quantities. Mechanisms of action:

1. protects the cell membranes of hepatocytes,
2. antioxidant,
3. helps to slow down fibrosis,
4. reduces the activity of apoptosis – 'programmed' cell death,
5. has an anticarcinogenic effect.

In addition, ursodeoxycholic acid helps dissolve cholesterol gallstones, so it is often recommended for cholelithiasis.

Take 2-3 capsules a day (the recommended dose is 10 mg / kg, in one capsule – 250 mg), the course is from six months.

No safety studies have been conducted during pregnancy. Penetrates into breast milk therefore it is not recommended for nursing.

Dispensed by prescription

Advantages

• has an anticarcinogenic effect;
• in some cases helps to dissolve gallstones.

disadvantages

• long course of application,
• prescription drug.

Ademetionine

Rating: 4.2

Trade names: Heptral, Heptor.

Ademetionine-based drugs are available from pharmacies on prescription and must be taken under strict medical supervision.

A derivative of the amino acid methionine.

Restores the antioxidant mechanisms of the liver, participates in biochemical processes that restore the integrity of cell membranes, proteins, nucleic acids, thus contributing to the normalization of metabolism in hepatocytes. Promotes the elimination of toxic bile acids.

In parallel, ademetionine has an antidepressant effect, which can be very useful with excessive love of alcohol, since alcohol, contrary to popular belief, is a depressant. The antidepressant effect appears at least 2 weeks after the start of use. In addition, the drug reduces fatigue.

The remedy is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to the drug, genetic disorders that disrupt methionine metabolism. There are no studies on the safety of the drug for pregnant women in the 1st – 2nd trimester and in children under 18 years of age. It is necessary to use the drug with caution in case of bipolar disorders and simultaneously with antidepressants.

Available in tablets of 400 and 500 mg. The dosage and duration of the course is determined by the doctor.

Advantages

• antidepressant effect;

disadvantages

• possible undesirable phenomena,
• prescription drug.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.