The Indispensable Organ-Liver

Liver is the largest and a very important gland in our body weighing around 1.36 kg and occupying the right hypochondial segment of the abdomen. The texture of liver is a bit rubbery and is reddish brown in color.

Liver cells or hepatocytes secrete many important enzymes that act as catalysts in digestive and immune related processes. Kupffer cells of liver help in arresting the parasites that become successful in breeching the first line of defence, thereby entering into body’s circulation. Many important vitamins like Vit A, D, E, K, B12 and minerals such as iron as “ferritin” and copper are stored in liver. Liver is the primary place for the detoxification of body from alcohol, toxic substances and drugs. It is the storehouse for body’s energy requirements as glucose us stored in liver as glycogen. Fat, cholesterol and vitamins are dependent on liver’s bile secretion for their absorption from gut.

Liver requires special care as it is an indispensable organ required for almost all critical organic functions. Liver pathologies can be very subtle in their development and often lead to multiple organ failure in advanced stages.

Most common liver ailments are hepatitis A, B, C and E, alcoholic and non alcoholic steatosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis is the inflammation of hepatocytes, where the B and C varieties are the major causes of fatality either directly or due to consequent hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic cases.

• Hepatitis A virus (HAV), causing a faecally-spread self limiting disease.
• Hepatitis B virus (HBV), causing a parenterally transmitted disease that may become chronic.
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV), previously termed non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis virus involved chiefly in transfusion related hepatitis.
• Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) which is sometimes associated as super infection with hepatitis B infection.
• Hepatitis E virus (HEV), causing water-borne infection.

Besides infection, fatty changes in liver can subsequently lead to cirrhosis if not treated well timely. Fatty liver disease has a high occurance found in alcoholics and occasionally as a geriatric disorder. Once a major portion of liver becomes non functional, transplantation of the organ becomes mandatory.

Diagnosis at an early stage can help in saving the life of patient, hence a regular screening for liver diseases is must.

Homoeopathy holds promising prospects as a preventive as well as curative liver therapy (in earlier stages). Omeo liver is a promising Bjain specialty product for liver disorders, having genuinely effective herbs collected from original sources. A regular regimen of the syrup acts as a hepatoprotective solution.