Protective and curative effect of poly herbal formulation containing indigenous medicinal plants against various hepatotoxic agents in rats

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the protective and curative potential of PHF, a polyherbal formulation, against two experimentally induced hepatotoxicity models in rats. Methods: Hepatoprotective activity of the PHF containing three indigenous medicinal plants extracts Coccinia indica, Sidacordata and Scoparia dulcis, was screened against CCl4 and paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Result: Administration of hepatotoxins (CCl4 and paracetamol) shows significant morphological, biochemical and histopathological deteriorations in the liver of experimental animals. Pretreatment with PHF had significant protection against hepatic damage by maintaining the morphological parameters within normal range and normalizing the elevated levels of biochemical parameters (SGPT, SGOT, ALP and total bilirubin), which were evidently showed in histopathological study. Conclusions: The PHF has highly significant hepatoprotective effect at 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o. on the liver of all the two experimental animal models. The liver protection due to combined action of all plant extracts along with their phytoconstituents.