Protection against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity by pretreatment with methanol extract of Hemidesmus indicus var. pubescens leaf in Wistar rats

Summary. This study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of Hemidesmus indicus var. pubescens leaf on CCL4 induced hepatotoxicity. CCL4 was administered at a dose of 0.5 ml/kg b.w. for 7days along with the methanol extract of H. indicus var. pubescens leaves at doses 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg b.w. Administration of CCL4 caused profound hepatic damage as indicated by elevation in serum levels of liver transaminases, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin. There was depletion of serum proteins including albumin. Hepatotoxicity also caused a fall in the total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Administration of methanol extract of H. indicus var. pubescens leaves (HILM) reversed these biochemical aberrations to a significant extent. Phytochemical studies on the extract proved the presence of phytoconstituents like flavonoids, glycosides, phytosterols, saponins, coumarins &triterpenoides, phenolic compounds & tannins. It was concluded from the study that H. indicus var. pubescens leaves possess significant hepatoprotective effects in rats which substantiates its traditional use as an antihepatopathic drug in Ayurveda. The results are preliminary, further research is needed to further evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of H. indicus var. pubescens leaf and to elucidate the exact mechanism of action. Industrial relevance. Leaves of H. indicus are used in the treatment of vomitting, wounds, leucoderma, cerebropathy, hepatopathy, nephropathy, syphilis, metropathy, leucoderma, odontalgia, cough and asthma. H. indicus var. pubescens is another taxonomic variety of the proper variety H. indicus var. indicus present in South India, where it is substituted for H. indicus var. indicus in many Ayurvedic formulations. In the traditional system of medicine there is a claim regarding the use of H. indicus leaves as a hepatoprotective agent, but there is no scientific data available to prove this. Hepatoprotective properties of the roots of H. indicus have been proved. Hence this study was undertaken to scientifically evaluate the antihepatopathic potential of the leaf of this variety of H. indicus. The phytoconstituents responsible for the hepatoprotective property could be isolated and developed into suitable formulations which would be an effective option as a hepatoprotective agent, on a commercial scale. Keywords. Hemidesmus indicus var. pubescens; hepatoprotective; biochemical estimations; histopathology