FLACOURTIA INDICA (BURM.F.) PREVENTS CCL4 INDUCED RAT LIVER DAMAGE BY AUGMENTING ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME ACTIVITY

Anindita Biswas* and Gangarao Battu

ABSTRACT

Aim of the study: Flacourtia indica (Burm.f.) (Family-Flacourtiaceae) is a nontoxic edible herb, widely used in Indian folklore medicine to treat different types of liver ailments. In the present study we have demonstrated that methanol extract of F. indica fruit could prevent CCl4 induced rat liver damage. Materials and methods: CCl4 at the dose of 1.5 ml/kg body wt. was orally administered to experimental rats and liver function enzymes such as AST, ALT, ALP, lipid peroxidation and various antioxidant enzyme activities were measured. Effects of F. indica fruit extract at a dose of 250mg/kg body weight and 500mg/kg body weight on CCl4 treated rats were checked. Results: CCl4 produced significant increase in liver marker enzyme activities and reduction of antioxidant enzyme activities. Pre-treatment with methanolic extract of F. indica fruit in both doses 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg reversed the liver damage due to CCl4 administration. It decreased the activities of liver enzymes and augmented antioxidant enzymes. Histopathological evaluation of liver also revealed that F. indica fruit extract reduced the incidence of CCl4 induced liver lesions. The results obtained were compared with standard hepatoprotective drug silymarin (50 mg/kg) and found significant hepatoprotective activity similar to silymarin. Conclusion: F. indica fruit extract therefore shows a promise in therapeutic use in CCl4 induced liver dysfunction.

Keywords: Flacourtia indica, CCl4, hepatoprotective, antioxidant activity.