Manscript Submission

EVALUATION OF HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF TECTONA GRANDIS L. AGAINST CARBON TETRACHLORIDE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS

Tectona grandis L. (Verbenaceae) is commonly called as Bhujokra in Hindi, Ratoliya in Gujarati and Jalpippali in Sanskrit. It is found throughout warmer parts of India ascending up to 900m in the hills. It is common in wet places, along irrigation channels, canal edges and river banks. The bark of Tectona grandis L. is used for ulcer, jaundice, asthma and bronchitis. To investigate the hepatoprotective activity and acute oral toxicity of extract of bark of Tectona grandis L. (EETG) in male wistar albino rats by using CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity. The EETG at doses of 250 and 500mg/kg, p.o and the standard drug Silymarin (100mg/kg, p.o) were administered three times at 12h intervals and then CCl 4 (1ml/kg) was administered to all the groups except normal control for 2 days. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed by using various biochemical parameters like SGOT, SGPT, ALP, γ-GT, TP and total bilirubin along with histopathological studies were observed after 36h of CCl 4 treatment. The EETG at the doses of 250 and 500mg/kg inhibited CCl 4 induced liver toxicity in Wistar albino rats as assessed by the biochemical changes and histopathological studies. The ethanol extract of bark of Tectona grandis L. afforded significant protection against CCl 4 induced hepatocellular injury.