Your liver is the largest solid organ inside your body. It is located in the upper right part of the abdomen. More than 400 vital functions have been identified with the liver, according to the University of Southern California. Among its various functions, the liver helps the body convert food into stored energy and to rid the body of toxins. Certain herbs appear to preserve liver function and repair the damage caused by harmful toxins.
Licorice
Licorice, whose scientific name is Glycyrrhiza glabra, is a medicinal herb. The flavorful herb has been used medicinally as a capsule, tablet or liquid extract. Licorice has a very sweet taste, so licorice is widely used as a flavoring in foods, beverages and tobacco. The basis of its therapeutic effect is that licorice contains glycyrrhizin and numerous flavonoids, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Licorice root or its extract glycyrrhizin has been used in both Eastern and Western medicine to treat chronic liver disease. A chalcone found in licorice root has also been shown to protect liver cells.
Yarrow
Yarrow is a perennial broadleaf herb, native to Europe, Asia and North America. Yarrow has a high reputation and is touted for its numerous therapeutic qualities. For years, yarrow has been considered a "liver herb" in Europe. The liquid extract or tonic of yarrow appears to support the liver and digestive system. It also increases venous blood circulation, decongesting the liver, according to Georgetown University Medical Center.
Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is a plant endemic to the Mediterranean region, whose fruit and seeds are used to prepare herbal remedies. For centuries, milk thistle has been used as a cytoprotectant, a medication that provides protection to cells against harmful toxins, for the treatment of liver and bile ailments, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Silymarin, a flavonolignan from milk thistle is being studied in the prevention of liver damage caused by toxins and some drugs, such as acetaminophen, in high doses.
