Recent Advances in Research on Active Compounds Against Hepatic Fibrosis

Background: Almost all chronic liver diseases cause fibrosis, which can lead to cirrhosis and eventually liver cancer. Liver fibrosis is now considered to be a reversible pathophysiological process and suppression of fibrosis is necessary to prevent liver cancer. At present, no specific drugs have been found that have hepatic anti-fibrotic activity. Objective: The research progress of anti-hepatic fibrosis compounds in recent ten years was reviewed to provide a reference for the design and development of anti-hepatic fibrosis drugs. Methods: According to the structure of the compounds, they are divided into monocyclic compounds, fused-heterocyclic compounds, and acyclic compounds. Results: In this article, the natural products and synthetic compounds with anti-fibrotic activity in recent ten years were reviewed, with emphasis on their pharmacological activity and structure-activity relationship (SAR). Conclusion: Most of these compounds are natural active products and their derivatives, and there are few researches on synthetic compounds and SAR studies on natural product.