Antioxidant and Hepato Protective Effect of Myristica malabarica Seed Aril Extracts on Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Hepatic Damage

The antioxidant activities of the ethanol extract, its benzene and chloroform fraction from seed aril of Myristica malabarica (Myristicaceae) were assessed in an effort to validate the hepatoprotective potency of this plant. The extract and the fractions showed scavenging of 1, 1-diphenyl-2picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and inhibition of ABTS radical in vitro. Antioxidant activities of the extracts were also demonstrable in vivo by the inhibition of the carbon tetrachloride (CCl ) induced formation of lipid peroxides in the liver of rats by 4 pretreatment with the extracts. CCl induced hepatotoxicity in rats, as judged by the raised serum enzymes, 4 aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatases was prevented by pretreatment with the extracts/fractions, demonstrating the hepatoprotective action. Among the tested extracts benzene fraction recorded highest efficiency in protecting liver damage induced by toxic effect of CCl followed by crude 4 ethanolic extract and chloroform fraction. These findings were confirmed by histopathological study of the liver sections of the treated groups.