Korean J Med.  2014 Apr;86(4):425-431.

Pharmacologic Therapy for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

• Park SH

Abstract

Weight loss via lifestyle modification remains the most efficient treatment for NAFLD. Weight loss and exercise are the cornerstones of therapy, but achieving long-term lifestyle modification is not free from difficulties. Pharmacologic therapy should be considered for patients with NAFLD unable to achieve or maintain lifestyle-induced weight loss. Unfortunately, there is no approved drug for NAFLD currently. Current treatment methods for NAFLD can be divided roughly into those methods that target components of metabolic syndrome using weight reduction and insulin sensitizers (pioglitazone) and those that use antioxidants (Vitamin E) to benefit the liver. Pioglitazone has been shown to improve steatosis, hepatocellular ballooning, and inflammation and also to reduce the risk of fibrosis progression in several randomized-controlled trials (RCTs). In a large RCT, large doses of vitamin E improved all histological lesions except for fibrosis. Compared with a placebo, Metformin lowered ALT, but did not improve liver histology. Recently, novel anti-diabetic agents (GLP-1 analogues, DPP IV inhibitors) and probiotics that alter the gut microbiome were shown to mildly benefit ALT and liver histology. In this report, we systemically review current pharmacologic therapies and other promising agents that were not considered in the most recent guidelines for the treatment of NAFLD.

Keyword

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Pharmacologic therapy; Investigational drugs

MeSH Terms

Antioxidants
Drugs, Investigational
Fatty Liver*
Fibrosis
Humans
Inflammation
Insulin
Life Style
Liver
Metformin
Microbiota
Probiotics
Vitamin E
Vitamins
Weight Loss
Antioxidants
Drugs, Investigational
Insulin
Metformin
Vitamin E
Vitamins