Hepatoprotective properties of <i>Caesalpinia sappan </i>Linn. heartwood on carbon tetrachloride induced toxicity

Abstract

Aim of the study was to investigate the methanol and aqueous extracts of heartwood of <i>C. sappan </i>for its hepatoprotective activity against CCl₄ induced toxicity in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes and animals. Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes were exposed to CCl₄ (1%) along with/without various concentrations of methanolic and aqueous extract of <i>C. sappan</i> (1000-800 µg/ml) and the levels of selected liver enzymes were estimated. Antihepatotoxic effect of methanolic extract was observed in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes at concentrations 1000-800 µg/ml and was found to be similar to that of standard drug silymarin. Wistar strain albino rat model was used for the investigation of <i style="">in vivo </i>hepatoprotective properties of aqueous and methanolic extract of <i style="">C. sappan </i>(100 and 200 mg/kg body weight). Liver damage was induced by ip administration of CCl₄(30%) suspended in olive oil (1 ml/kg body weight). Both the tested extracts showed potent hepatoprotective activity at 200 mg/kg body weight test dose which was comparable with that of the standard silymarin used in similar test dose. The methanolic and aqueous extract was able to restore the biochemical levels to normal which were altered due to CCl₄ intoxication in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes and also in animals.