The liver is a large organ under the right rib cage that is one of the major filtering organs in the body. It cleans the blood of many toxins and substances that would be harmful if not removed from the blood or converted into other chemical compounds. The liver is also responsible for removing or changing many of the medications we take so that they do not stay in the bloodstream and accumulate, causing harm. Unfortunately, many of the substances that the liver attempts to clear from the bloodstream can also harm the liver if taken in large quantities. The best example of this is alcohol. Taken in moderation, alcohol is not harmful. Taken in excess, inflammation of the liver, or hepatitis can develop, which if allowed to progress, can cause permanent liver damage. The liver also has tremendous regenerative capacity, so that even a moderate amount of inflammation rarely causes permanent liver damage. There are many ongoing studies regarding various liver diseases and this is constantly changing our therapies and the oppurtunity to affect the outcome of liver problems.