Abstract

A STUDY OF IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT, FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY AND IN VIVO HEPATOPROTECTIVE PROPERTY OF Andrographis paniculata AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT

Puspal De* and Madhumita J. Mukhopadhyay

ABSTRACT

Andrographis paniculata is commonly known as kalmegh, belong to the family Acanthaceae. The medicinal properties of kaimegh were well known since ancient period and were reported in ancient Indian Ayurvedic Medicine as haepatoprotective and haepatostimulative agent for the treatment of liver and gall disease. Due to the unavailability of proper hepatoprotective drug in modern medicine, several herbal formulations have been widely used for the management of liver disease. The present study was conducted to examine the in vitro total antioxidant property by phosphomolybdenum method and in vitro free radical scavenging activity by DPPH method. The study also checks the in vivo hepato-protective properties of Andrographis paniculata aqueous leaf extract by Histological study. Our result demonstrated that, orally administered Andrographis paniculata leaf extract (60mg/kg/b.w.) are effective in counteracting the hepatotoxicity of the most potent hepatotoxic agent like carbon tetrachloride. It also shows good amount of antioxidant property and free radical scavenging property in a comcentration dependent manner. These results suggest that the use of Andrographis paniculata, which have a good antioxidant property, in diet, may give an effective protection against the health crisis generated by the different liver toxicity.

Keywords: Andrographis paniculata, hepatotoxicity, hepato-protective, total antioxidant, free radical scavenging activity.