Mechanisms of drug-induced liver disease

Abstract

The liver is the main metabolizing organ in the body for drugs and toxins. The liver is therefore exposed to relatively high levels of electrophilic metabolites and free radicals that may induce toxicity. Furthermore, the liver performs many vital functions that may be disrupted by toxic metabolites. Despite the high exposure to reactive metabolites, drug-induced toxicity is relatively uncommon because of the redundancy of the detoxification systems present in the liver.