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Hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential of corm of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst) in rats

R.A.Shastry, K.M.Mahadevan, P.V.Habbu, Hanumanthachar Joshi, S.K.Das

The plant Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst) is commonly known as Suranah in Indian system of medicine. In the present study ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of corm of A. paeoniifolius were investigated for hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant activity against CCl4 (0.7ml/kg in olive oil, 1:1, i.p.) induced liver damage in rats.Various biochemical parameters such as SGOT, SGPT,ALP, serumbilirubin and cholesterol levelswere determined. Ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts (100 and 200mg/kg, p.o) exhibited significant (P<0.001) hepatoprotective activity by reducing elevated levels of SGOT, SGPT,ALP, serumbilirubin and cholesterol in CCl4 induced hepatotoxic animals. To assess the in vivo antioxidant activity, levels of liver detoxificating enzymeswere determined. Pretreatment of rats for successive seven days with ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts (100 and 200mg/kg, p.o) along with CCl4, preserved catalase, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase activity as compared to control and CCl4 group, thus providing protection against CCl4 toxicity. Histopathological studies of rat livers revealed regeneration of hepatocytes and maintained hepatic enzyme levels which are normally involved in combating Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).