Abstract

HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS BARK EXTRACT OF ALSTONIA SCHOLARIS IN PARACETAMOL AND ETHANOL INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS

G.V.Sampath Kumar*, Santosh Kumar Ranajit, Dr.K.Eswar Kumar

Abstract

The In vivo hepatoprotective effect of aqueous extract of Alstoniascholaris (AEAS) bark was evaluated in male rats against ethanol andparacetamol induced liver damage in preventive and curative models.Liver injury was induced by 40% ethanol administration (3.7 g/kg bw,orally) for 28 days and in the other case hepatic damage was inducedby the administration of Paracetamol at a dose of 2g/kg bw for 11 days.In two different sets of experiments, the AEAS extracts (100, 200 and400 mg/kg bw) and silymarin (100 mg/kg bw) were administeredorally in preventive and curative models. Ethanol administration aswell as Paracetamol administration caused severe hepatic damage inrats as evidenced by elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST),alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and totalbilirubin levels. The AEAS and silymarin administration prevented the toxic effect of ethanoland Paracetamol on the above serum parameters in both preventive and curative models. Thepresent study concludes that aqueous extract of Alstonia scholaris bark showed significanthepatoprotective activity against ethanol induced hepatotoxicity as well as Paracetamolinduced hepatotoxicity.

Keywords: Alstonia scholaris; Ethanol; Paracetamol; Hepatoprotective; Silymarin