Research indicates that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) extracts (e.g., terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, and alkaloids) can directly activate AMPK or regulate its upstream kinases (LKB1, CaMKKβ) and downstream effectors (SIRT1, PPARα, Nrf2), thereby improving hepatic lipid accumulation, mitigating inflammatory damage, and delaying NAFLD progression. The gene discussed is STK11; the disease is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.