A systematic review on hepatoprotective potential of grape and polyphenolic compounds: molecular mechanism and future prospective

The hepatoprotective potential of grape and polyphenols has been scientifically well demonstrated in several experimental studies. However, there is no systematic review performed on their hepatoprotective activity. Based on scientific evidence, the goal of this systematic review was to describe and make inferences on the therapeutic advantages of grape and polyphenols against various chemical hepatotoxicities. Grape and polyphenols from preclinical and clinical studies were included for the online search utilising electronic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Springer Nature, and Google Scholar. The searched words and terms were: “Hepatotoxicity” OR “Hepatoprotective” OR “Liver injury” AND “Hepatotoxic drug” AND “Grape” OR “Grapefruit” OR “Grape seed” OR “Grape peels” OR “Bioactive compounds” OR “Polyphenols” AND “Preclinical studies” OR “Clinical studies”. A total of sixty-five studies were included based on the rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria. The systematic review revealed that grape and polyphenolic compounds could significantly alleviate hepatic markers (ALP, ALT and AST), antioxidant status (CAT, GPx, GSH and SOD), hepatic anti-inflammatory status (TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, COX-2, and NF-κB pathways) and apoptosis markers [caspase-3 (CASP) and caspase-9] in chemical induced-hepatotoxicity. Furthermore, improvements in the structural, functional, and physiological characteristics of the liver were observed after treatment with grape and polyphenols, reflecting modulation in the cellular and molecular alterations. Conclusively, this study supports the therapeutic potential of grape and polyphenols for the management of hepatotoxicity in various conditions based on available scientific evidence.