Sida rhombifolia Inhibition of Murine Hepatic Preneoplasia and Hepatotoxicity

From time immemorial, for a large number of the world’s rural population, medicinal plants are the only source for the prevention and treatment of various pathological diseases. Medicinal plants and their constituents, vegetables, fruits and dietary fibre have been reported to prevent multistage carcinogenesis or may be destroying or blocking DNA damaging mutagens in the cells (Johnson, 1997; Craig,1999). Sida rhombifolia Linn. ssp. retusa (Linn.) Borss (Malvaceae, syn. Sida retusa) commonly known as “Atibala, Jungli Methi” is an erect annual or perennial branched undershrub about 1.5 m high distributed throughout tropical and subtropical parts of India (Kirtikar and Basu,1933). Phytochemically, it possesses therapeutically active agents viz; alkaloids, phytosterols, ecdysterone, carbohydrates, saponins, cyclopropeniod fatty acids viz; sterculic acid, malvalic acid, linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid, amino acids, gums and mucilages (Ahmad et al., 1976; Dinan et al., 2001; Khare et al., 2002). This indigenous plant holds a remarkable reputation among the medical practitioners for its anti-rheumatism activity and is an