[citation needed] The list of conditions associated with chronic liver disease is extensive and can be categorised in the following way:[3] Viral causes Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV), and yellow fever viruses cause acute hepatitis.
The liver biopsy is a simple procedure done with a fine thin needle under local anaesthesia.
Specific conditions may be treated with medications including corticosteroids, interferon, antivirals, bile acids or other drugs.
[5] Some support may be found in the orthodox medical use of two of these in acute liver failure: N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is the treatment of choice for acetaminophen overdose;[6] both NAC and milk-thistle (Silybum marianum) or its derivative silibinin are used in liver poisoning from certain mushrooms, notably Amanita phalloides, although the use of milk-thistle is controversial.
[7][8] Some common herbs are known or suspected to be harmful to the liver, including black cohosh, ma huang, chaparral, comfrey, germander, greater celandine, kava, mistletoe, pennyroyal, skull cap and valerian.