Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and flavonoids: Current perspectives

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an accumulation of fat in the liver despite a low level of alcohol intake, with signs of hepatomegaly. Although in the past, NAFLD was predominantly viewed as an aspect of metabolic syndrome, it is now considered that it should be classified as an independent condition similar to obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Therefore, new treatment strategies, not based on correcting insulin resistance, are needed for NAFLD. This work analyzes methods of prevention, therapeutic approaches, and mechanisms involved in NAFLD, focusing on the use of flavonoids (epigallocatechin-3-gallate, resveratrol, anthocyanins, and isoflavones) with high antioxidant capacity. In addition, the mechanisms of cholesterol accumulation in the liver are identified as potential avenues for entirely new approaches to NAFLD treatment, contrasting the well-known relation between neutral fat and NAFLD.