Pharmacological Potential of Silymarin in Combination with Hepatoprotective Plants against Experimental Hepatotoxicity in Rats

The present study was designed to investigate the synergistic hepatoprotective effect of Silymarin in combination with standardised extracts of Picrorrhiza kurroa, Phyllanthus amarus, Tephrosia purpurea, Asparagus racemosus plants against experimental hepatotoxicity induced by administration of Paracetamol (3g/kg; p.o) and Carbontetrachloride (1ml/kg; s.c) in wistar rats. Paracetamol and CCl4 intoxications caused increase in SGPT, SGOT, ALP, bilirubin, TBARS, Nitrate/Nitrite content and decrease in Glutathione, Na+K+ATPase level in rats. However, pretreatment by three different doses of Silymarin-12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg alone, and combination of Silymarin-25 mg/kg with each plant extracts (50 mg/kg) significantly reversed the effect of these hepatotoxicants and further resulted in decrease inflammatory cell infiltration, vacuolization and centrilobular necrosis as revealed by histological findings of rat liver in present study. This study demonstrates the potentiation of cellular protective mechanisms like anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, membrane stabilization effects of silymarin with inclusion of hepatoprotective plants in experimental hepatotoxicity in rat.