SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1627081
Efficacy of Schisandra chinensis in liver injury: A systematic review and preclinical meta-analysis
Provisionally accepted
- 1Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, beijing, China
- 2Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- 3Shenzhen Bao'an Chinese Medicine Hospital,Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shen zhen, China
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Liver injury is a multifaceted condition marked by oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Schisandra chinensis, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with a history of use spanning over 2,000 years, exhibits significant hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. This study aims to review the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of Schisandra chinensis in mitigating liver injury in animal models.A systematic review was conducted across eight databases. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Sycle's RoB tool. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed in cases of high heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's test and funnel plots. A meta-analysis was carried out using Stata 18.0.A total of 54 animal studies were included in this review. The results indicated that bioactive compounds in Schisandra chinensis significantly reduced levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) [SMD = -4.74, 95% CI (-5.42, -4.06), p < 0.001, I² = 90.8%], aspartate aminotransferase (AST) [SMD = -5.10, 95% CI (-5.84, -4.37), p < 0.001, I² = 91.7%], and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Additionally, Schisandra chinensis decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels while increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH). Additionally, the results revealed a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines, including Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β). Subgroup analysis suggested that variations in animal species, drugs, modeling methods, and dosages may contribute to the observed heterogeneity.Schisandra chinensis demonstrates significant therapeutic effects in liver injury, likely due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties. However, further research is needed to validate its efficacy and safety.
Keywords: Schisandra chinensis, liver injury, Chinese medicine, preclincal study, Meta - analysis
Received: 13 May 2025; Accepted: 22 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Huang, Lv, Wu, Feiyang, Li, Lu and Lv. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Bohao Huang, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, beijing, China
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