~ Journal of • ETHNO PHARMACOLOGY ELSEVIER Journal of Ethnopharmacology58 (1997) 109 116 In vivo protective role of Koflet (an ayurvedic preparation) against cellular toxicity caused by CC14 and flyash S. Farooq ,L, Iqbal Ahmad b,,, G.K. Pathak a a Department qf (Twmistm', DA V, PG College, Dehradun U.P., India b Institute qf Agriculture, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, India Received 3 August 1997; accepted 4 August 1997 Abstract Swiss albino rats were treated in groups with CC14, and flyash to induce cellular toxicity in the lungs and trachea. Animal groups received treatment of Koflet (K) with CCl 4 (7 days) and with flyash (30 days); their general health and biochemical parameters were studied and used as an indication of cellular injuries. A significant loss was observed in body weight and food consumption in animals given only CC14 or flyash, while simultaneous treatment with K resulted in a non significant alteration from normal control groups. Enzyme (alkaline phosphatase, Ca 2+-Mg2÷-AT- Pase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT)) activities were estimated in tissue homogenate preparation of lung, trachea and serum, which showed no significant change except for GPT activity as compared to control animals which received CC14 or flyash with K. Similarly lung, trachea and serum contents of carbohydrate, protein, sialic acid, serum protein, serum cholesterol were estimated and it was found that alteration caused by CCI4, or flyash becomes almost non-significant compared to that of the control after the treatment of K, except for carbohydrate and serum cholesterol values. The animal group which was only treated with K did not show any significant alteration in their biochemical markers or injuries, except for cholesterol. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Keywords: Flyash; CC14; Cellular toxicity; Lung; Koflet 1. Introduction Cough, dry or wet, is a frequent symptom of cardiorespiratory disorders and is usually annoy- ing and exhausting for most of the patients. Most * Corresponding author. 0378-8741/97/$17.00 © 1997 Elsevier Sciencelreland Ltd. Allrights PIIS0378-8741(97)00094-9 of the cough suppressants depress the respiratory centres in the brain, while others, due to their antihistamine content dry the respiratory secre- tion making their removal by expectoration more difficult and exhausting for the patient. Few cough remedies are available for the treatment of such a problem. reserved.