Gut microbiota and drug-induced liver injury:an update

The intestinal microbiota consists of trillions of microorganisms,most of which are considered to be non-pathogenic and play a defensive role in host immune system.Imbalance of the bacterial community has been associated with multiple host diseases,including fatty liver,metabolic syndromes,inflammatory bowel disease,and colon cancer.The liver is connected with the gut at both anatomical and physiological levels,and exposed to the products of the gut microbiota through the portal vein.Thus liver pathophysiology is closely influenced by the gut microbiota.