Hepatoprotective activity of Hepax-a polyherbal formulation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of Hepax, a polyherbal formulation, against three experimentally induced hepatotoxicity models in rats. METHODS Hepatoprotective activity of Hepax was studied against three experimentally induced hepatotoxicity models, namely, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), paracetamol and thiocetamide induced hepatotoxicity in rats. RESULTS Administration of hepatotoxins (CCl4, paracetamol and thiocetamide) showed significant morphological, biochemical and histological deteriorations in the liver of experimental animals. Pretreatment with Hepax had significant protection against hepatic damage by maintaining the morphological parameters (liver weight and liver weight to organ weight ratio) within normal range and normalizing the elevated levels of biochemical parameters (SGPT, SGOT, ALP and total bilirubin), which were evidently showed in histopathological study. CONCLUSIONS The Hepax has highly significant hepatoprotective effect at 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o. on the liver of all the three experimental animal models.