Hepatoprotective Effect of Leaves of Madhuca Longifolia (koenig) against Paracetamol Induced Acute Liver Damage in Rats

The present study was desined to evaluated the hepatoprotective activity of 70% ethanolic extract of leaves of Madhuca longifolia in paracetamol (2gm/kg) induced liver toxicity in albino wistar rats. The paracetamol injected rats were found to be with significantly increased level of biochemical markers like SGPT (Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase), SGOT, (Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase) ALP (alkaline phosphatases), serum bilirubin (total and direct), total cholesterol and serum triglycerides. The depleted GSH (glutathione) leves and increased lipid peroxidation indicated the involvement of free radicals in the liver toxicity. 70% ethanolic extract at the dose of 20mg/kg and 40mg/kg produced significant reduction in the serum levels of biochemical markers mentioned above. The extract also increased the levels of GSH and significantly decreased the lipid peroxidation. The results of 70% ethanolic extract were comparable with the standard silymarin. These results suggest that 70% ethanolic extract of Madhuca longifolia (Koenig) may possess the potential therapeutic value in the treatment of some liver diseases, which can be attributed to its anti-oxidant action. INTRODUCTION Herbal medicines derived from plant extracts are being increasingly utilized to treat a wide variety of clinical disease, though relatively little knowledge about their mode of action is available. So there is a growing interest in the pharmacological evaluation of various plants used in traditional system of medicine. India is also a prosperous example of the same trend. Free radical and reactive oxygen species are often generated as by product of biological reaction. The involvement of these species in the pathogenesis of large number of disease including atherosclerosis, diabetis mellitus, asthama, nephritis, liver disease is well documented (Maxwell A G, 1999). So a potent scavenger of these species may serve as a possible preventive intervention for free radicals mediated disease. Natural anti-oxidant may scavenge the free radical and can protect the organ from damage (Susanta K M, 2006). Liver is often abused by environmental toxins, poor eating habits, alcohol consumption and over the counter drug use that damage and weaken the liver leading to important public health problems. There are no satisfactory remedies available from synthetic and herbal world of medicine to treat the liver disease. Paracetamol is widely used analgesic and anti-pyretic, produces acute liver damage if over doses are consumed. The hepatotoxicity of paracetamol has been attributed to the formation of toxic highly reactive metabolite n-acetyl para benzoquineimine (NAPQI). Parcetamol also causes nephro toxicity (Diadelis Remirez, 1995). MATERIALS AND METHODS …