Research Progress in Pharmacological Effects and Action Mechanisms of Alkaloids for the Prevention and Treatment of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases

The morbidity and mortality of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) are continuously increasing with the improvement in living standards. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is very complex, leading to retarded progress in the development of NAFLD drugs. Recently, due to the prominent bioactivities of alkaloids such as anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation, researches on their pharmacological effects and action mechanisms in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD have gained widespread attention. With a focus on recent hot topics, this article reviewed the research progress in pharmacological effects and action mechanisms of alkaloids for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD, including organic amine alkaloids, piperidine alkaloids, isoquinoline alkaloids and xanthine alkaloids, so as to provide insights into the development of NAFLD drugs and discovery of lead compounds.