ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Glycosmis pentaphylla (Retz.) DC (Rutaceae) is a shrub, traditionally used to treat anemia, rheumatism, as an anthelmintic, febrifuge and vermifuge, for jaundice, and liver complaints. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the hepatoprotective activity of G. pentaphylla against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in Swiss albino mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Effect of methanol extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) and petroleum ether extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) were studied on paracetamol-induced (250 mg/kg intraperitoneally) hepatic damage in mice for estimating the serum marker enzymes as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, and total protein. Then the sections of liver were observed for histopathological changes in liver architecture including necrosis, steatosis, and fatty change of hepatic cells. RESULTS: Mice were protected from the hepatotoxic action of paracetamol as evidenced by significant reduction in the elevated serum level of ALT (P<0.001), AST (P<0.001), ALP (P<0.001), total bilirubin (P<0.01) and an increased level of total protein (P<0.01) with a significant reduction in liver weight (P<0.01) when compared with paracetamol treated group and silymarin (50 mg/kg) was used as a positive control. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections from different experimental groups and corroborated the hepatoprotective efficacy of methanol and petroleum ether plant extract. The methanol extract (400 mg/kg) of G. pentaphylla is able to alter the toxic condition of the hepatocytes so as to protect the membrane integrity against paracetamol-induced leakage of marker enzymes.
