Hepatoprotective Activity of Methanol Extract of Tecomella undulata against Alcohol and Paracetamol Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Plant products play a crucial role in the hepatoprotection through its antioxidants property. Therefore, search for modern medicine of plant origin with this property has become a central focus on hepatoprotection today. This study investigated to search a new hepatoprotective agent from natural sources, the methanol extract of folk medicinal plant, T. undulata leaves was tested against liver damage of albino rats. Levels of serum marker enzymes i.e. AST, ALT (aminotransferases), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), GGT (gamma glutamyl transpeptidase) and total bilirubin in serum alongwith the activities of LPO (lipid peroxidation), SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), GSH (reduced glutathione) and GPx (glutathione peroxidase) in liver homogenate from treated rats were monitored, respectively. The histopathological changes of liver sections were also compared with the respective controls. 30% alcohol and paracetamol induced significant (P<0.001) increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) alongwith the alterations in the activities of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and serum markers in the liver and serum of treated rats. Simultaneously, oral treatment with T. undulata reversed to all the serum and liver parameters, dose-dependently, in 30% alcohol and paracetamol treated rats. The biochemical results were also compared with the standard drugsilymarin. These findings indicate the hepatoprotective potential of T. undulata leaves against liver damage might be due to the presence of flavonoids, quinones and other bioactive constituents.