Antioxidant activity of Gloriosa superba against paracetamol induced toxicity in experimental rats

Paracetamol was chosen to induce hepatotoxicity in rats. Gloriosa superba tubers were extracted and used for the treatment against paracetamol induced toxicity. In this study, the animals were divided into three groups comprising of six animals each. Group I served as a control, group II animals were administered with paracetamol(200 μg/kg) orally for 10 days, group III animals were received Gloriosa superba tubers aqueous extract (500 mg/kg/bw/po) for 5 days followed by paracetamol(200 μg/kg) orally for 2 days. Level of LPO was found to be increased during paracetamol intoxication with concomitant decrease in the activity of enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidants. The antioxidant enzyme levels were reverted to near normal in Group III rats which results the antioxidant activity of Gloriosa superba.