Evidence supporting the use of: Liverwort
For the health condition: Infection (viral)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 1

Liverworts (Marchantiophyta) have a long history of use in traditional medicine, particularly in East Asian herbal practices, where they have been employed to treat a variety of ailments, including infections and liver-related conditions. The use of liverworts for viral infections, however, is primarily supported by tradition rather than robust scientific evidence. Traditional texts and ethnobotanical surveys report the use of liverwort extracts as remedies for conditions believed to be caused by "toxins" or "heat," some of which may correspond to infections, including those of viral origin. The rationale for their application was often based on the doctrine of signatures, where the appearance of the plant was thought to indicate its utility for liver and infection-related conditions. Modern scientific research into the antiviral potential of liverworts is limited, but there are a few in vitro studies that have isolated compounds such as marchantin A and other bibenzyl derivatives from certain liverwort species, which have demonstrated weak antiviral activity against some viruses in laboratory settings. However, these findings are preliminary, and there is a lack of clinical data or robust animal studies to confirm efficacy or safety for treating viral infections in humans. As such, while there is a traditional basis for the use of liverwort in supporting infection or viral conditions, scientific validation is minimal, and the evidence remains largely anecdotal.

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