A Roundup of Hot Ingredients in the Domestic and Global Liver Protection Markets for 2025

Fast-paced lifestyles, poor dietary habits and environmental stressors are fueling steady growth in the liver protection supplement market. Globally, the category was valued at approximately RMB 700 billion in 2023. In China, online sales of liver health products have climbed for three consecutive years, generating RMB 9.14 billion in 2024, a 6.6% increase over the previous year.
Below is a closer look at the main ingredients shaping liver health formulations both in China and abroad.

Major domestic ingredients

As of 21 August 2025, a total of 694 functional food products (dietary supplements) had been registered in China, claiming "auxiliary protective functions against chemically induced liver damage". Among the 28 most frequently used raw materials, the top five by product count are kudzu root (266 products), reishi mushroom (144), schisandra berries (121), Japanese raisin tree fruit (92) and goji berries (89). Notably, registered products containing kudzu root, reishi mushroom, schisandra berries and Japanese raisin tree fruit grew by 35.7%, 18.0%, 31.5% and 39.4%, respectively, when compared with data recorded on 23 April 2023.

1. White peony root -- a fast-rising ingredient

                                                                                                                                  
White peony root is the dried root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, a plant widely distributed in China, Korea, Mongolia and parts of Siberia. In the Divine Farmer’s Classic of Materia Medica, it is described as capable of relieving abdominal pain triggered by external pathogens, clearing blood stasis and numbness, and easing cold-related pain.

Paeoniflorin, the primary active compound, was first isolated from the root in 1963. A growing body of research shows that paeoniflorin protects the liver through multiple routes: anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, stimulation of hepatocyte regeneration, suppression of liver fibrosis and immune regulation.

Online sales of liver protection products featuring white peony root reached RMB 18.78 million in 2024, an extraordinary 210.8% year-on-year jump.

2. Astragalus -- drawing attention from researchers

Astragalus refers to the dried roots of Astragalus mongholicus or Astragalus membranaceus, mainly sourced from Inner mongolia autonomous region, Ningxia hui autonomous region, Shaanxi province and Shanxi province. Modern pharmacological studies have identified key bioactive fractions, polysaccharides, saponins and flavonoids, that help protect the liver by improving hepatic microcirculation, dampening inflammatory responses, slowing fibrotic changes and boosting the body’s antioxidant capacity.

Online sales of astragalus-based liver supplements generated RMB 15.14 million in 2024. Meanwhile, academic interest in the liver-protective effects of astragalus has grown considerably in recent years.

3. Pueraria -- the most widely used ingredient

Pueraria is the dried root of Pueraria lobata. Its main constituents are isoflavones, particularly puerarin, daidzin and daidzein.

Puerarin can delay gastric emptying, slow alcohol absorption, reduce intestinal permeability and shield the gastrointestinal mucosa. It also raises the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, helping to mitigate the oxidative stress that accompanies alcohol-related liver injury.

In 2024, online sales of liver-support products containing puerarin in China reached around RMB 550 million, making puerarin the most frequently used single ingredient in registered liver protection dietary supplements.

Popular ingredients in overseas markets

1. South Korea-- Hovenia dulcis

Because heavy drinking is one of the most common causes of liver damage, Hovenia dulcis (Japanese raisin tree) has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine to manage acute alcohol intoxication. Its key active, dihydromyricetin (DHM), is widely regarded as the plant’s main alcohol-detoxifying component.

Research indicates that DHM helps counteract ethanol-induced liver damage by regulating lipid metabolism, speeding up the clearance of ethanol and suppressing inflammation. It also significantly stimulates the activity and expression of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which works to reduce fatty degeneration and triglyceride accumulation.

2. Japan -- Glucoraphanin

In Japan’s functional food market, glucoraphanin (often abbreviated SGS) is the most commonly used liver health ingredient, appearing in 31 approved products. It occurs naturally in cruciferous vegetables, with broccoli being a well-known source.

A Japanese study observed that middle-aged and older adults who regularly consumed glucoraphanin showed signs of reduced oxidative stress-related liver damage and improved alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.