Nutritional and Therapeutic Potential of Longan Fruit By-products for Liver Diseases: Pathway to Functional Foods

Abstract

Purpose of Review: The massive processing of longan fruit consequently generates a significant quantity of by-products that are a nuisance to the environment. This review aims to tap these by-products for sustainable applications in treating hepatic diseases. Recent Findings: Ethnobotanical investigations show that longan fruit has been utilized in liver functioning for over two millennia and is supported by contemporary scientific findings. Recent studies highlighted that these by-products contain bioactive compounds that decrease oxidative stress and inflammation, key drivers of liver diseases, including liver fibrosis, hepatitis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). These bioactive compounds modulate lipid metabolism, detoxification pathways, and oxidative stress-regulating metabolic pathways of hepatoprotection. In addition, using longan by-products provides a relatively more affordable nutraceutical substitute for synthetic pharmaceuticals. Summary: This literature revealed that polyphenolic compounds such as corilagin gallic acid, ellagic acid, and various flavonoids in longan by-products exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities that benefit liver health through different pathways including unexplored mechanisms. However, this review recommends exploring the potential functional application of these by-products in food. It emphasizes the need for clinical validation of longan by-product therapies for liver diseases.