Pharmacological properties of baicalin on liver diseases: a narrative review

Baicalin is the main active component of Scutellaria baicalensis, widely used in traditional Chinese medicine thanks to its various pharmacological effects, such as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, as well as cardiovascular, hepatic, and renal protective effect. Recently, the protective effects of baicalin on liver disease have received much more attention. Several studies showed that baicalin protects against several types of liver diseases including viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, xenobiotic induced liver injury, cholestatic liver injury, and hepatocellular carcinoma, with a variety of pharmacological mechanisms. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of baicalin can provide a valuable reference for its clinical use, but up to now, no narrative review is available that summarizes the pharmacological effects of baicalin to clarify its potential use in the treatment of liver diseases. Therefore, this review summarizes the progress of baicalin research and the underlying mechanism in the treatment of various liver diseases, to promote further research and its clinical application. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43440-021-00227-1.