Abstract

A STUDY ON HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF STEM EXTRACTS OF CUSCUTA REFLEXA (ROXB) ON RANITIDINE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS

Nishant Singh Katiyar*, Amrit Pal Singh and N Venkat Rao

Abstract

The study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of stem of Cuscuta Reflexa (Convolvulaceae) in acute experimental liver injury induced by ranitidine. The effects observed were compared with a known hepatoprotective agent, silymarin. In the acute liver damage induced by ranitidine, Cuscuta Reflexa stem extracts (100, 200 & 400mg/Kg, po) signeficantly reduced the elevated serum level of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) & Serum bilirubin (BIL). Cuscuta Reflexa (Convolvulaceae) is a plant with a varity a of ethnic medicinal uses along with antioxidant activity. Hence it was planed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity with alcoholic (AESCR) and aqueous (AQESCR) extracts of stem of C. reflexa. In LD50 studies for AESCR and AQESCR up to the maximum dose level of 2000 g/kg dose no mortality was observed in any of the animals, indicating the practically nontoxic. Hepatoprotective activity of both the extracts was studied against ranitidine induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The higher & medium dose of the extracts (400mg/Kg & 200mg/Kg, po) prevented the increase in liver weight when compared to hepatoxin treated control. Histological examination of the liver tissues supported the hepatoprotection. AESCR and AQESCR showed a significant hepatoprotective effect against ranitidine induced hepatic damage. The medium and high doses of AESCR and AQESCR (200 and 400 mg/kg ) treated groups showd better hepatoprotective activity when compared to standard drug silymarin (25 mg/kg p.o.) treated group.

Keywords: Cuscuta reflexa, stem extracts, ranitidine, silymarin, hepatoprotective activity.