Hepatoprotective activity of Pterocarpus santalinus L.f., an endangered medicinal plant

Objective: To evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of crude aqueous and ethanol stem bark extracts of Pterocarpus santalinus (Fabaceae) using CCl 4 induced hepatic damage in male Wistar albino rats. Department of Botany, Materials and Methods: The aqueous (45 mg/ml) and ethanol (30 mg/ml) extracts of S.R.N.M.N. College of Applied stem bark in 1% gum tragacanth was administered orally for 14 days and the hepatoprotective Sciences, Shimoga, activity studied in CCl induced hepatic damage model. The hepatoprotective activity was 4 Karnataka, India. assessed using various biochemical parameters like serum bilirubin, protein, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase along with histopathologiReceived:31.3.2005 cal studies of liver tissue. Revised: 29.8.2005 Results: There was a significant increase in serum levels of bilirubin, alanine transaminase, Accepted: 18.9.2005 aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase with a decrease in total protein level, in the CCl 4 treated animals, reflecting liver injury. In the aqueous and ethanol extracts treated Correspondence to: B.K. Manjunatha animals there was a decrease in serum levels of the markers and significant increase in total E-Mail: protein, indicating the recovery of hepatic cells. Histological study of aqueous extract treated [email protected] group exhibited moderate accumulation of fatty lobules and cellular necrosis where as ethanol extract treated animals revealed normal hepatic cords without any cellular necrosis and fatty infiltration. Conclusion: The ethanol and aqueous stem bark extract of P. santalinus afforded signifi­ cant protection against CCl 4 induced hepatocellular injury.