Activity of Picroliv Isolated from Picrorhiza kurrooa against Thioacetamide and Entamoeba histolytica Induced Liver Damage

Picroliv, an iridoid glycoside mixture, isolated from root and rhizome of Picrorhiza kurrooa known to possess significant hepatoprotective activity. Present study demonstrated the hepatoprotective potential of picroliv against thioacetamide and Entamoeba histolytica induced hepatic damage in rats, mastomys, and gerbils. Significant increase in the serum levels of hapatospecific markers was found due to administration of hepatotoxic agent, thioacetamide (200mg/kg b. wt.), indicating wide spread liver damage in the test models which was further elevated after E. histolytica infection. Pinpoint amoebic liver abscesses were found to develop only in gerbils. Administration of picroliv (12 mg/kg b. wt.) resulted in significant recovery of altered serum levels of albumin, protein, triglycerides and cholesterol in all animal models challenged with thioacetamide and E. histolytica. Picroliv also antagonized the changes in the enzyme levels of glutamate oxaloacetate, glutamate pyruvate transferase and alkaline phosphatase in serum. Significant recovery obtained in serum enzyme levels in all animal models and against amoebic liver abscess in gerbils on treatment with picroliv indicated that picroliv possesses therapeutic activity against E. histolytica induced hepatic damage. Further study suggests that Picroliv was more potent than silymarin, a standard hepatoprotective agent.