Biomarkers of Hepatic Toxicity: An Overview

• Published in: Current therapeutic research 2024-01, Vol.100, p.100737, Article 100737
• Main Authors: Thakur, Simran, Kumar, Vishal, Das, Rina, Sharma, Vishal, Mehta, Dinesh Kumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biochemical parameters; Hepatic biomarkers; Hepatotoxicity; Liver; Review
• ISSN: 0011-393X; 1879-0313
• DOI: 10.1016/j.curtheres.2024.100737

•Hepatic biomarkers can be used to identify the presence of liver damage, its severity, prognosis, pharmacologic source, or the type of hepatotoxicity.•Different hepatic biomarkers are explored as noninvasive identifiers for hepatic damage, as well as clinical variables linked with it.•These biomarkers will assist us in evaluating signals as potential indicators of liver injury, which serve as bridge markers for tracking hepatic disease and hepatotoxicity. Hepatotoxicity is the foremost issue for clinicians and the primary reason for pharmaceutical product recalls. A biomarker is a measurable and quantifiable attribute used to evaluate the efficacy of a treatment or to diagnose a disease. There are various biomarkers which are used for the detection of liver disease and the intent of liver damage. This review aims to investigate the current state of hepatotoxicity biomarkers and their utility in clinical settings. Using hepatic biomarkers, the presence of liver injury, its severity, prognosis, causative agent, and type of hepatotoxicity can all be determined. Relevant published articles up to 2022 were systematically retrieved from MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and WOS databases using keywords such as drug toxicity, hepatotoxicity biomarkers, biochemical parameters, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In clinical trials and everyday practice, biomarkers of drug-induced liver injury are essential for spotting the most severe cases of hepatotoxicity. Hence, developing novel biomarker approaches to enhance hepatotoxicity diagnosis will increase specificity and/or identify the person at risk. Importantly, early clinical studies on patients with liver illness have proved that some biomarkers such as aminotransferase, bilirubin, albumin, and bile acids are even therapeutically beneficial. By assessing the unique signs of liver injury, health care professionals can rapidly and accurately detect liver damage and evaluate its severity. These measures contribute to ensuring prompt and effective medical intervention, hence reducing the risk of long-term liver damage and other major health concerns. The graphical abstract depicts major aspects of hepatotoxicity including: its biochemical parameters, drug factors responsible for liver toxicity, heavy metal toxicity, epidemiology, clinical signs of hepatotoxicity, and stages of liver damage. [Display omitted]