Possible Mechanism of Plumbago zeylanica in Prevention of Hepatic Dammage in Wistar Rat

Plumbago zeylanica root has been used traditionally to treat various body ailments including liver diseases. The present study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of standardized methanolic extract of Plumbago zeylanica root on paracetamol, CCl4 and alcohol induced hepatic injuries in rats and its possible mechanism(s) of hepatoprotection. Administration of hepatotoxicants like paracetamol (3 g kg-1, p.o.) or CCl4 (1 mL kg-1, s.c.) or alcohol (15 g kg-1, p.o.) to Wistar albino rats (180-240 g of either sex, n = 8) caused significant increase in serum ALT, AST, ALP and bilirubin; tissue lipid peroxidation, nitrite/nitrate, collagen; and decrease in tissue GSH and SOD levels. The liver histopathology revealed central vein dilation, infiltration and fatty degeneration in hepatotoxicant control groups. Pretreatment with methanolic extract of Plumbago zeylanica (100, 200 and 400 mg kg-1) and silymarin (50 mg kg-1) as standard significantly reversed these toxic changes dose dependently, as compared to hepatotoxicant control. The results in present study suggested that Plumbago zeylanica root possesses marked hepatoprotective potential through its oxidative, inflammatory and fibrotic effects against experimentally induced liver toxicity. These findings support and extend the rational basis for the use of this plant as hepatoprotective in traditional and folk-lore medicine.