ABSTRACT
Hydro alcoholic extract of tubers of M. tuberosa was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening and evaluated for in vitro and in vivo antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity against CCl4 induced liver damage in rats. Pretreatment with 70% ethanolic extract of M. tuberosa reversed CCl4 induced elevation of levels of serum biomarkers to near normal levels, suggesting that the tubers of M. tuberosa possess hepatoprotective property and this property may be attributed to the antioxidant property of the plant.
ABSTRACT
Hepatoprotective activity of 70% ethanolic extract of flowers of C. procera was studied against CCl4 induced hepatic injury in albino rats and mice. In addition, antioxidant activity was studied by in vitro models. Pre-treatment with 70% ethanolic extract (CPA) reduced the biochemical markers of hepatic injury like serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, cholesterol, HDL and tissue glutathione (GSH) levels. Similarly pretreatment with CPA reduced the CCl4 induced elevation in the pentobarbitone sleeping time. Histopathological observations also revealed that pretreatment with CPA protected the animals from CCl4 induced liver damage. CPA demonstrated dose dependant reduction in the in vitro and in vivo lipid peroxidation induced by CCl4. In addition it showed dose dependant free radical scavenging activity. The results indicate that flowers of C. procera possess hepatoprotective property possibly because of its anti-oxidant activity. This property may be attributed to the quercetin related flavonoids present in the flowers of Calotropis procera.