Comparative Evaluation of Hepatoprotective Potential of roots of Blue and white flowered varieties of Clitoria ternatea Linn

Pet Ether, Chloroform, and Methanol extracts of roots of Blue and White flowered varieties of Clitoria ternatea (CT) were studied for their hepatoprotective potential against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed using various biochemical parameters like serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin along with histopathological studies of liver tissues. The substantially elevated serum enzymatic levels of serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin were significantly restored towards normalization with the treatment of CT. The biochemical observations were supplemented with histopathological examination of liver sections. Liv-52 was used as standard reference and exhibited significant hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The results of this study strongly indicate that, methanolic extracts of blue and white flowered varieties of CT have potent hepatoprotective action against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic damage in rats. Methanol extract of white flowered variety (MEWFV) effectively control SGOT, SGPT and ALP as compared to methanol extract of blue flowered variety (MEBFV). MEWFV of CT showed more significant hepatoprotective activity as compared to MEBFV of CT. This study suggests that possible mechanism of this activity may be due to free radical-scavenging and antioxidant activity, which may be due to the presence of phenolic compounds in the extracts.