Abstract

COMPARATIVE HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF MENTHA ARVENSIS AND MYRISTICA FRAGRANS AGAINST ARSENIC INDUCED TOXICITY IN RAT

Sweety Sinha, Birendra Kumar, Arun Kumar, Ashok Ghosh, Pramod Shanker, Sunil Kumar and Ranjit Kumar*

Abstract

In India many states are contaminated with groundwater arsenic contamination. It causes serious health hazards in these areas. It was estimated that 25 million people in Bangladesh and 6 million people in West Bengal, India were exposed to arsenic contaminated groundwater. Skin lesions, gastrointestinal disturbances and respiratory problems are common problem reported due to arsenic toxicity. In long turn it may lead to cancer. Mentha arvensis are commonly known as mint. It is traditionally used medicinal plants for many diseases since ancient times. Myristica fragrans is commonly known as nutmeg, it possess very high antioxidant property. It is also used in treatment of wide variety of disease. Present study is designed to find comparative hepatoprotective effect of Mentha arvensis and Myristica fragrans against arsenic induced toxicity in rats. Arsenic were administered 8 mg/kg body weight for 8 weeks followed by administration of Mentha arvensis 200 mg/kg body weight for 12 weeks and Myristica fragrans 300 mg/kg body weight for 12 weeks. After scheduled treatment blood were collected for analyzing SGPT, SGOT, ALT and bilirubin level. Arsenic caused marked increase in liver function test while these medicinal plants were effectively restored the biochemical parameters of liver in rats. It is evident from study that M. arvensis effectively restores biochemical parameters of liver in comparision to M. feagrans. M. arvensis effectively restores SGPT level, SGOT level, billirubin and alkaline phosphatase very effectively and may be used as future antidote in restoration of hepatotoxicity caused by arsenic toxicity in mice.

Keywords: SGPT, hepatotoxicity, arsenic, skin lesions, toxicity.