Effects of Indian Foods and Ayurvedic Drugs on Healthy and Diseased Liver

There is a strong link between food items, gut microbiota (GM), liver fat and development of various non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The incidence of NCDs is rapidly increasing globally. The GM is considered an organ by itself and any alterations in its composition or functioning are likely to be associated with different NCDs, including cancers. The core to most of the NCDs is increased fat in the liver and the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The highly variable natural history of NAFLD reflects the current incomplete understanding of the pathobiology of the disease. The strongest risk factors for NAFLD/NASH are unhealthy food items and their metabolites which affect the host and the gut microbiota.

Traditional Indian food items are known to have strong influence on liver and production of healthy bile, the 'Pitta'. The influence and health worthiness of various indigenous food items has not been scientifically evaluated. Their role in health and disease would not only help in prevention but also management of multiple non-communicable diseases. This information could also make a change in the social and behavioural attitudes of Indians

The proposed project would, therefore, undertake work on the following broad areas:

1. Effects of conventional Indian foods as hepatoprotective agents, producers of 'healthy' bile and stimulating liver regeneration.
2. Food constituents as therapeutic agents by changing dysbiotic gut microbiota to healthy microbiota, reduction in hepatic fat and inflammation, improving metabolic health (reducing sugar, cholesterol, etc.) and reduction in liver fibrosis