April Journal-2009.p65 - Association of Biotechnology and Pharmacy

Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy
Vol. 3 (2) 219-224, April 2009. ISSN 0973-8916
Hepatoprotective effect of leaves of Balanites roxburghii against
carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic damage in rats
K. Thirupathi, D.R. Krishna, B. Ravi Kumar, A.V.N. Apparao and G. Krishna Mohan *
Department of Pharmacognosy and Centre for Ethnopharmacology, University College of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kakatiya University, Warangal 506009, India
* For Correspondence - drgkrishnamohan@yahoo.co.in
Abstract
The methanolic extract of leaves of
Balanites roxburghii (BLR) was evaluated for
its hepatoprotective activity against carbon
tetrachloride (CCl 4
)-induced hepatic damage in
rats. It was evaluated by measuring levels of
serum marker enzymes like serum glutamate
oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum
glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline
phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBR). The
histological studies were also carried out to
support the above parameters. Administration of
BLR (200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) markedly
prevented CCl 4
-induced elevation of levels of
serum GPT, GOT, ALP and TBR. A comparative
histopathological study of liver exhibited near to
normal architecture, as compared to CCl 4
-treated
group.
Keywords: Carbon tetrachloride; Balanites;
Marker enzymes; Hepatoprotective activity.
1. Introduction
Balanites roxburghii is a medicinal herb,
found in Bengal, drier parts of India and Myanmar.
In Ayurvedic, the fruit has a bitter sharp taste,
digestible, alterative, anthelmintic, analgesic and
in Unani system of medicine for treatment of skin
diseases (1), in Sudanese folk medicine for
treatment of jaundice (2), In Egyptian folk
medicine, the fruits of Balanites (after removal
of the apocarps) are commonly used as an oral
antidiabetic drug, in tropical Africa as fish poison
(3).
It was reported to possess immune
modulating properties (4), hypocholesterolemic
action (5), anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and
antioxidant activities (6). An aqueous extract of
the mesocarp of the fruits of Balanites was
reported to exhibit a prominent antidiabetic activity
in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice (7).
Phytochemical investigations have
revealed the presence of saponin glycosides,
flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, phenols from
different parts of this plant (8).Chemically, Six
flavonoid glycosides: quercetin 3-glucoside,
quercetin-3-rutinoside; 3-glucoside, 3-rutinoside,
3-7-diglucoside and 3-rhamnogalactoside of
isorhamnetin were extracted and identified from
the leaves and branches (9). Saponins (10) have
also been identified from the plant
The local people (Warangal) use the
leaves as a traditional medicine for the treatment
of jaundice. For this purpose, the leaves are
crushed, made five small doughs and taken orally
once. Hepatoprotective activity of the bark as well
as fruit pulp of B. roxburghhi has been reported.
(11, 12). Therefore, in view of these reasons, we
selected to study the Hepatoprotective activity of
leaves of the plant.
Hepatoprotective effect of leaves of Balanites roxburghii