Digestive system diseases exhibit high clinical incidence rates and complex pathogenesis, creating an urgent need for the development of safe and effective therapeutic agents. Hesperetin is a flavonoid compound widely presented in Rutaceae plants, and serves as the primary effective component of traditional Chinese medicines such as Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Zhiqiao (Aurantii Fructus) and Qingpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride) in preventing and treating digestive system dysfunction. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed that hesperetin could exert potential therapeutic effects on digestive system diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, ulcerative colitis, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer through multiple pathways including inhibiting inflammatory responses, antioxidative stress, improving lipid metabolism, regulating intestinal flora, regulating mitochondrial autophagy, antitumor, etc. This article summarizes and analyzes the relevant research reports at home and abroad in the past 30 years, systematically reviews the pharmacological effects and molecular mechanisms of hesperetin in treatment of digestive system diseases, and provides theoretical basis and scientific reference for the development of new drugs and health products.

hesperetin  /  digestive system disorders  /  non-alcoholic fatty liver disease  /  liver injury  /  gastric cancer  /  colorectal cancer  /  ulcerative colitis