Natural products in the research of cholesterol gallstones

Cholesterol gallstones are a digestive disease of high prevalence that has many risk factors; for this reason, research has focused mainly on how to prevent it rather than how to treat it. Many molecules of the hepatic, bile and intestinal systems are involved in the pathophysiology of this disease, making it very difficult to find a therapeutic target. The pharmacological treatment is limited, so when gallstones generate symptoms, medical treatment indicates gallbladder removal. Ursodeoxycholic acid is used to dissolve cholesterol stones, and ezetimibe and statins are other drugs with possible applications in the treatment of this disease. Given the small number of drugs that have been developed for treating this disease, the research of natural products becomes of paramount importance. Resources such as black radish, glucosinolates, fenugreek, capsaicin, curcumin, garlic, and onion, have all shown significant effects in the prevention and treatment of cholesterol gallstones. In this review, we made a synthesis of the scientific reports that deal with these natural products and that can serve as antecedents for finding a way to treat the most common disease of the gallbladder.