Evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of Cajanus cajan against paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Objective: Ethanol extract of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Pigeonpea) leaves (ECC) was investigated for its hepatoprotective activity. Methods: Different groups of Wistar albino rats were administered with paracetamol (500 mg/kg, p.o., once daily for 7 days) for induction of hepatotoxicity. ECC (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg/day) and silymarin (25 mg/kg/day) were administered to the paracetamol induced hepatotoxic rats for seven days. The effects of ECC and silymarin on serum transaminases (SGOT, SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin (Direct and Total), cholesterol (HDL and Total) were measured. The effects of the extract on lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were estimated. Moreover, the histopathological studies on ECC treated paracetamol induced rat liver were done. Results: ECC and silymarin produced significant (P < 0.05) hepatoprotective effect by decreasing the activity of serum enzymes, bilirubin, total cholesterol and in vivo lipid peroxidation and significantly (P < 0.05) increasing the levels of GSH, SOD, CAT and HDL cholesterol. Antioxidant effects on FeCl2-ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenate were also shown by ECC. Histopathological profiles showed that the extract had significant protective effect against paracetamol-induced liver injury, which corroborates the above findings. Conclusion: These results show that ECC could protect the liver cells from paracetamol-induced liver damages perhaps, by its antioxidative effect on hepatocytes. . © 2014 Universal Research Publications. All rights reserved