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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Pharmacology

Liver-targeted drug delivery systems of traditional Chinese medicine: a novel strategy for the treatment of fatty liver disease

  • Letao Zhao1
  • Yongji Li1
  • Jinjin Dou2
  • Ran Chen1
  • Yuan Liu1
  • Danyi Feng1
  • Hailing Zhang1
  • Xiwu Zhang3,4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Graduate School, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine
  2. 2The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine
  3. 3Experimental Training Center, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine
  4. 4National Key Laboratory for the Integration and Innovation of Classical Formulae and Modern Chinese Medicine
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Abstract

Fatty liver disease (FLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, and its prevalence continues to rise steadily each year. FLD is not only a major predisposing factor for liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, but is also closely associated with various extrahepatic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, imposing a heavy burden on global healthcare systems. Currently, treatment options for FLD are limited. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history in treating FLD and has shown certain efficacy. However, most TCM compounds face limitations, including poor water solubility, low in vivo bioavailability, and insufficient liver-targeting ability, which hinder their effective accumulation at hepatic lesion sites. This article reviews the TCM monomer compounds used in the treatment of FLD, as well as the characteristics and recent advances in passive liver-targeting drug delivery systems, active liver-targeting systems, and smart drug-targeting systems. It also elucidates the challenges and development prospects of liver-targeting strategies in TCM therapeutic applications, aiming to promote the clinical translation and application of novel liver-targeted delivery drugs derived from TCM for the treatment of FLD.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{zhao2026livertargeted,
  title = {{Liver-targeted drug delivery systems of traditional Chinese medicine: a novel strategy for the treatment of fatty liver disease}},
  author = {Letao Zhao and Yongji Li and Jinjin Dou and Ran Chen and Yuan Liu and Danyi Feng and Hailing Zhang and Xiwu Zhang},
  journal = {Frontiers in Pharmacology},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.3389/fphar.2026.1996171},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1996171/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Liver-targeted drug delivery systems of traditional Chinese medicine: a novel strategy for the treatment of fatty liver disease
AU  - Letao Zhao
AU  - Yongji Li
AU  - Jinjin Dou
AU  - Ran Chen
AU  - Yuan Liu
AU  - Danyi Feng
AU  - Hailing Zhang
AU  - Xiwu Zhang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/03
JO  - Frontiers in Pharmacology
DO  - 10.3389/fphar.2026.1996171
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1996171/full
AB  - Fatty liver disease (FLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, and its prevalence continues to rise steadily each year. FLD is not only a major predisposing factor for liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, but is also closely associated with various extrahepatic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, imposing a heavy burden on global healthcare systems. Currently, treatment options for FLD are limited. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history in treating FLD and has shown certain efficacy. However, most TCM compounds face limitations, including poor water solubility, low in vivo bioavailability, and insufficient liver-targeting ability, which hinder their effective accumulation at hepatic lesion sites. This article reviews the TCM monomer compounds used in the treatment of FLD, as well as the characteristics and recent advances in passive liver-targeting drug delivery systems, active liver-targeting systems, and smart drug-targeting systems. It also elucidates the challenges and development prospects of liver-targeting strategies in TCM therapeutic applications, aiming to promote the clinical translation and application of novel liver-targeted delivery drugs derived from TCM for the treatment of FLD.
SN  - 1663-9812
ER  -