An overview of Molecular and biochemical insights of agents used in
hepatotoxicity-induced animal models: A Current scenario
Abstract
Cirrhosis is a serious health condition, where along with scar tissue
formation there is deposition of collagen in the liver, finally leading
to liver failure. It is preceded by liver fibrosis, a dynamic
pathological condition that can be decelerated during its early phases.
Acute hepatitis is the cause of about 10% cases of liver damage and
another 50% result from drug induced hepatic injury. In absence of
appropriate clinical management of fibrosis, its progresses to cirrhosis
and eventually results in liver failure or primary liver cancer both of
which are irreversible conditions. Various in vivo animal models
have been developed where hepatic injury is induced by diet, drugs,
chemicals or surgical methods. These animal models are routinely
employed for the assessment of drugs. But there is a need to discover
new methods that will reduce animal sacrifice or be associated with
animal recovery. Ex-vivo tissue culture techniques also aid in the
evaluation of different stages of cirrhosis. Future research may result
in the study of pathology of an individual patient through hepatic
decellularisation and hepatic tissue bioengineering.