Evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of aerial parts of Tephrosia purpurea L. and stem bark of Tecomella undulata.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The aerial parts of Tephrosia purpurea (L.) pers. (Fabaceae) and stem bark of Tecomella undulata seem. (Bignoniaceae) are used for liver disorders in the traditional system of medicine.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of aerial parts of Tephrosia purpurea and stem bark of Tecomella undulata against thioacetamide-induced hepatotoxicity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatotoxicity was induced in albino rats of either sex by subcutaneous injection of thioacetamide. Aqueous-ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Tephrosia purpurea (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg/day and ethanolic extract of stem bark of Tecomella undulata (200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day were evaluated.

RESULTS: Oral administration of Tephrosia purpurea at 500 mg/kg and Tecomella undulata at 1000 mg/kg resulted in a significant reduction in serum aspartate aminotransaminase (35% and 31%, respectively), alanine aminotransaminase (50% and 42%, respectively), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (56% and 49%, respectively), alkaline phosphatase (46% and 37%, respectively), total bilirubin (61% and 48%, respectively) and liver MDA levels (65% and 50%, respectively), and significant improvement in liver glutathione (73% and 68%, respectively) when compared with thioacetamide damaged rats. Histology of the liver sections of the animals treated with the extracts also showed dose-dependent reduction of necrosis.

CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates the hepatoprotective activity of the aerial parts of Tephrosia purpurea and stem bark of Tecomella undulata against thioacetamide-induced hepatotoxicity.