In Vivo and in Vitro Hepatoprotective Potential of Kaempferol, a Flavone Glycoside from Capparis Spinosa

This study was designed to investigate in-vivo and in-vitro hepatoprotective activity of kaempferol isolated from Capparis spinosa L. in CCl4 intoxicated rat. Kaempferol is a bioflavonoid reported with antioxidant, antiinflammatory and antiapototic effects which can prevent CCl4 induced hepatic lipid peroxidative damage mediated by oxidative free radical. Kaempferol was isolated from C. spinosa stem, and authenticated by HPTLC and HPLC techniques. Wistar albino rats were treated with vehicle, silymarin (20 mg/kg) and kaempferol at 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o. continuously for 14 days. CCl4 was administered on 7 th day to every alternate day for a week. Pre and post treatment of kaempferol resulted in the significant decrease (P<0.01 and 0.001) in relative weight of liver. Kaempferol showed extremely significant (P<0.001) decrease in thiopental induced sleeping and 76.13% hepatoprotection in bromosulphathalein (BSP) uptake test. Treatment with kaempferol (50 and 100 mg/kg) resulted in significant normalization (P<0.01 to 0.001) of biochemical parameters except protein and albumin. Kaempferol showed dose dependent elevation of glutathione and reduction in lipidperoxidase enzymes in liver tissue. Kaempferol effectively reversed CCl4 induced damage and showed normal architecture of hepatocytes, portal tracts and central veins with mild necrosis and lymphocyte infiltration. The results revealed the protective and preventive effect of kaempferol on CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity by ameliotaing oxidative stress and hepatocyte damege, which may be mediated through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapototic property.