Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT AND HEPATOPROTECTIVE POTENTIAL OF AZIMA TETRACANTHA L. IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To evaluate the antioxidant activity of alcoholic extract of Azima tetracantha L. root (AT) and to investigate hepatoprotective activity by inducing hepatic injury with D-galactosamine hydrochloride in rats. Methods: The lyophilized alcoholic extract of Azima tetracantha ranging from concentration of 1000μg/ml to 10μg/ml was used to assess the antioxidant activity by various methods. For hepatoprotective activity, the alcoholic extract of Azima tetracantha root at the dose of 300 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg were administered orally for 10 days. Silymarin (100 mg/kg), a known hepatoprotective drug was used as a standard drug for comparison. The blood samples were estimated for Alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Total Bilirubin (TB), Total Protein (TP) and Albumin. The liver samples were collected, weighed and processed for histopathology. Results: The results showed good antioxidant activity and significant (P<0.001) reduction in the biochemical parameters in rats treated with Azima tetracantha. Histo-pathological section showed similar trend in all the groups. Conclusion: The alcoholic extract of Azima tetracantha L. root exerts hepatoprotective activity and it can be attributed to the antioxidant principles which scavenge the free radicals responsible for pathological severity.

Keywords: Antioxidant; Hepatoprotective; D-galactosamine; Azima tetracantha; Silymarin etc.