Use of cardiotrophin in liver diseases. The invention describes the increased expression of cardiotrophin (CT-1) during the process of hepatic regeneration coinciding with maximum proliferation of hepatocytes and the role of CT-1 as a stimulator of hepatic regeneration. Furthermore, it describes the hepatoprotective role of CT-1 in various models of acute liver damage.The importance of using CT-1 in the manufacture of compositions for use in the treatment of hepatopathies is demonstrated. The invention describes such use in various forms and methods, including the recombinant protein and the use of the gene sequences that code for CT-1.