Abstract

HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF SWERTIA CHIRAYATA ON PARACETAMOL INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE IN ALBINO RATS

Hari Kumar Cheedella*, Ramesh Alluri, G. Krishna Mohan

ABSTRACT

Liver disease is one of the common health problems as it is exposed to many kinds of therapeutic agents and xenobiotics. The present investigation was aimed at examining the possible hepatoprotective role of Swertia chirayata against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity. The plant extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) showed a remarkable hepatoprotective activity against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity as judged from the serum marker enzymes in rats. Paracetamol induced a significant rise in aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin. Treatment of rats with different doses of plant extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly (P<0.001) altered serum marker enzymes levels to near normal against paracetamol treated rats. The activity of the extract at dose of 400 mg/kg was approximately comparable to the standard drug, silymarin (25 mg/kg, p.o.). Histopathological changes of liver samples were compared with respective control. The present study revealed that ethanolic extract of Swertia chirayata has significant hepatoprotective activity against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats and antioxidant potential.

Keywords: Swertia chirayata, Hepatoprotective, Paracetamol