Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Liver Diseases

Call for Papers

Liver disease is a general term for any damage that reduces the functioning of the liver. It indicates any disease or disorder that causes the liver to function improperly or cease functioning. In recent years, complementary and alternative therapies gain popularity worldwide and have been used in a variety of diseases including those of the liver. However, their efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action remain insufficiently understood even controversial. Therefore, there is an urgent need for clarifying their efficacy, quality assurance, and reproducibility. Moreover, definite proof of their efficacy in liver diseases is scarce.

We invite authors to contribute original research and review articles that will stimulate the exertion to explore the field of complementary and alternative medicine for liver diseases by basic research, clinical practice, and clinical research to improve the efficacy of these therapies. In this special issue, we particularly take an interest in manuscripts that evaluate and discuss the rationale, methods, preliminary mechanism, clinical practice guideline, or expert consensus for complementary and alternative therapies in liver diseases. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Recent developments in complementary and alternative therapies in liver diseases
• Ex vivo and in vivo studies related to the treatment of liver diseases by the complementary and alternative therapies
• Randomized controlled clinical trials with well-selected end points to assess the role of a therapy for liver diseases
• Prevention of a liver disease by complementary and alternative medicine
• Curative therapy and prevention of recurrence
• Antiviral therapy for prevention of postoperative recurrence of liver cancer
• Combination use of conventional and alternative methods in treatment for liver diseases
• Clinical trial protocols for alternative treatment of liver diseases
• Evidence supporting the use of alternative treatment of liver diseases
• Safety, licensing regulations, and pharmacovigilance regarding alternative treatment of liver diseases
• Herbs-induced autoimmune-like liver injury

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/ecam/liver/ according to the following timetable:

Lead Guest Editor

• Yong-Song Guan, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China

Guest Editors

• Mohammad Ahmad Al-Shatouri, Suez Canal Medical School, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
• Qing He, Department of Oncology and Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China