Hepatoprotective and in Vivo Antioxidant Potential of Aqueous Seed Extract of Vigna Unguiculata against Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

To evaluate the hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant effect of aqueous seed extract of Vigna unguiculata (AVU) against Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic injury in rats. 30 male wistar rats were divided into five groups. Group 1 and 2 received plain groundnut oil (3ml/kg body weight p.o.) for 21 days and had free access to food and water. Group 3, 4 and 5 were pretreated with Silymarin (50 mg/kg body weight, p.o.) and AVU at a dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight respectively for 21 days. Hepatotoxicity was induced by the intraperitoneal administration of a single dose of CCl4 (50% v/v in groundnut oil at a dose of 3 ml/kg body weight) in all groups except group 1 on 21 st day. Biochemical estimations were done on 22 day followed by harvesting of liver for antioxidant and histopathological studies. Changes in serum hepatic enzymes, total bilirubin, total protein, total cholesterol, total triglycerides and oxidant parameters induced by CCl4 administration were reversed by AVU treatment in a dose dependent manner and the same trend was observed with Silymarin treated group. The biochemical and antioxidant observations were paralleled by histopathological findings in rat liver both in the case of CCl4 and treatment groups. Pretreatment with AVU had significant protection against hepatic damage induced by CCl4 and hence can be used as a safe, cheap, and effective hepatoprotective agent a, supporting its folklore use.