Hepatoprotective effect of leaves of Morinda tinctoria Roxb. against paracetamol induced liver damage in rats

Objective

To investigate the hepatoprotective activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of leaves of Morinda tinctoria Roxb. against paracetamol induced liver damage into rats.

Methods

The hepatoprotective activity aimed for plant extracts was investigated for paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity into rats. Sprague–Dawley rats of either sex were divided into 7 groups of 5 animals each and are given orally the following treatment for 10 days. The normal control was given 1% CMC 1 ml/kg b.w., p.o. Paracetamol at dose of 3 g/kg b.w., p.o. was given as toxic dose for inducing hepatotoxicity. Liv.52 (50 mg/animal, p.o) was given as reference standard. Two different doses of M. tinctoria extracts of both aqueous and methanol (100 mg/kg, p.o, 150 mg/kg, p.o) was tested for hepatoprotective activity. The treatment was given for 10 days and after 48 h of last treatment blood was collected from direct cardiac puncture and analysed for various serum parameter like serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), Total Bilirubin (TB), Direct Bilirubin and Total cholesterol (TC) in different groups.

Results

The phytochemical investigation of the both extracts showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, saponin and tannin and phenols. The paracetamol intoxication lead to histological and biochemical deterioration. The treatment with both aqueous and methanolic leaves extracts of M. tinctoria reduced the level of SGOT, SGPT, TB, DB and TC and also reversed the hepatic damage towards normal which further supports the hepatoprotective activity of leaf extracts of M. tinctoria.

Conclusions

Both aqueous and methanol extracts of leaves of M.tinctoria have significant effect at higher dose of 150mg/kg.b.w.