Effects of Premna Integrifolia Linn. Roots Extracts in Ccl4 Induced Toxicity in Rats

Premna integrifolia Linn. roots are used in the Indian system of medicine for the treatment of diabetes, inflammation, liver disorders etc. The present study was aimed to investigate the antioxidant activity of Premna integrifolia L. (Family: Verbenaceae) in CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride) induced oxidative stress in SpragueDawley rats. CCl4 injection induced oxidative stress by a significant rise in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) along with reduction of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GRD). Pretreatment of rats with different doses of aqueous and methanolic extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) significantly lowered TBARS levels in CCl4 treated rats. GSH and hepatic enzymes like SOD, CAT, GRD, and GST were significantly increased by treatment with the plant extracts, as compared to the CCl4 treated rats. The activity of the extracts at the dose of 500 mg/kg was comparable to the standard drug, silymarin (25mg/kg). The results showed that Premna integrifolia extracts protect liver from oxidative stress induced by CCl4 in rats. INTRODUCTION: Exogenous factors such as sunlight, ultraviolet light, ionizing radiations, some chemicals and normal cellular activities lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The major types of ROS or ROS producing species are superoxide anion (O2 ∙− ), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl (OH) radicals 1 . ROS present a paradox in the biological function: on one hand, they prevent diseases by assisting the immune system, mediating cell signaling and playing an essential role in apoptosis. QUICK RESPONSE CODE DOI: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.4(12).4697-03 Article can be accessed online on: www.ijpsr.com DOI link: http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.4(12).4697-03 On the other hand, they can damage many biologically active molecules and hence lead to tissue damage and cell death 2, 3 . In cells, there are several antioxidant defense mechanisms that functionally assist in preventing the destructive effects of various types of ROS. These defense mechanisms include antioxidative enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and