Saravanan N et al. / Pharmacie Globale (IJCP) 2012, 6 (04) 1 Pharmacie Globale © (IJCP), Vol. 03, Issue 06 Available online at www.pharmacie-globale.info PHARMACIE GLOBALE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPREHENSIVE PHARMACY THE EFFECT OF Pavetta indica IN CCl 4 INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS N Bidyananda Singh 1 and N Saravanan* 2 1 Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Tamilnadu, India. 2 Division of Biochemistry, Rani Meyyammai College of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Annamalai University,Tamilnadu, India. Received: 1 May 2012; Revised: 18 May 2012; Accepted: 29 May 2012; Available online: 5 June 2012 INTRODUCTION Liver is vital organ present in vertebrates and some others animals involved in the maintenance of metabolic function including detoxification, glycogen storages, protein synthesis and production of biochemical’s necessary for digestion. 1,2 Liver damage is a widespread disease which can be caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), and is characterized by a progression from steatosis to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. 3,4 Several compounds, such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ), acetaminophen, bromo benzene, ethanol and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been implicated in the etiology of liver diseases. 5 CCl 4 is a classical hepatotoxin that causes rapid liver damage progressing from steatosis to centrilobular necrosis. 6 In view of server undesirable side effects of synthetic agents, there is growing focus to follow systematic research methodology and evaluate scientific basis for the traditional herbal medicines which are claimed to Pavetta indica is an herbal drugs traditionally used for hepatoprotective. 7,8 It belongs to the family, Rubiaceae. The plant is widely distributed in north- eastern region of India especially Manipur and Assam. The leaves are elliptic-oblong to elliptic-lanceolate, 6-15 cm long, and pointed at both ends. 9 The flowers are white, rather fragrant and borne in considerable numbers in hairy terminal panicles which are 6-10 cm long. 10 The sepals are very small and toothed. The flower-tube is slender and about 1.5 cm long; with obtuse petals about half the length of the tube. 11 Therefore the present study was planned to evaluate the hepatoprotective efficacy of aqueous leaf extract of Pavette indica against CCl 4 induced *Corresponding Author: Dr N Saravanan Division of Biochemistry, Rani Meyyammai College of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar - 608 002, Tamilnadu, India. Contact no: +91-4144-237225; Email: saravanan_74@rediffmail.com liver injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS Collection of plant material The plants leaves were collected from a village called Sunusiphai, Bisnupur district, Manipur, India and leaves were dried in room temperature for 5 days and made to fine powder. Plant Authentification The plant was authenticated by professor N Ibotombi, Research Botanist, Manipur University, Manipur, India. Extract preparation Dried plant powder were weighted and dissolved in distilled water. It was then boiled at 60˚C in water bath for 20 min. After heating the pellet was filtered with the use of filter paper in a new beaker and supernatant was made to evaporate. After the complete evaporation the resulting pellet was dissolved in known amount of distilled water and given to experimental animals. Animals Male adult albino Wistar rats, 6–7 weeks old (weighing 120–150 g) were procured from the Central Animal House, Department of Experimental Medicine, Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Annamalai University and maintained in an air-conditioned room (23 ± 2ºC) with a 12 h light/12 h dark cycle. Commercial diet purchased from animal house and tape water was supplied. All the experimental studies were conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, in accordance with the National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NIH 1985); the experimental study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital (Reg No.160/1999/CPCSEA, ABSTRACT The objective of present study was to investigate the effect of aqueous leaf extract of Pavetta indica on carbon tetra chloride (CCl 4 ) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Liver damage was induced by intraperitonal administration of CCl 4 (0.4 ml/kg body weight) for 3 days. Rats were treated with aqueous leaf extract of Pavetta indica (10 mg/kg body weight) by oral administration. The protective activity has been measured by using biochemical parameters such as aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein and bilirubin in treatment rats. The CCl 4 plus aqueous leaf extract of Pavetta indica treated rats showed significant reduction of above serum enzyme activities when compare to control rats. Histopathology findings are also in agreement with the biochemical findings. Results indicate the hepatoprotective properties of Pavetta indica against CCl 4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Keywords: Pavetta indica; carbontetrachloride; liver. Research Article ISSN 0976-8157