The liver is the largest solid organ of the body and is located in the right upper part of the abdomen. It is a unique organ in the sense that it has a dual blood supply - portal vein and hepatic artery. Portal vein carries the nutrient rich blood from the intestines to the liver while hepatic artery carries oxygenated blood. Bile produced in the liver is stored in the gall bladder and is released into the small intestine via the common bile duct after meals. Liver is a very vital organ of the body and performs more than 500 functions.

All the blood from the stomach and intestines reaches the liver, where the drugs and toxins are metabolised into non-toxin forms, and nutrients are processed and broken down for storage/energy production. It produces bile which helps in excretion of harmful substances and is involved in fat digestion and absorption of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). It is also responsible for production of proteins, cholesterol, glycogen (storage form of glucose), and regulation of blood clotting. Liver is an immune organ and helps in removing bacteria from the blood stream by producing immune factors.