Hepatoprotective activity of Pterocarpus santalinus L.f.,an endangered medicinal plant

Objective: To evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of crude aqueous and ethanol stem bark extracts of Pterocarpus santalinus (Fabaceae) using CCl4 induced hepatic damage in male Wistar albino rats. Materials and Methods : The aqueous (45 mg/ml) and ethanol (30 mg/ml) extracts of stem bark in 1% gum tragacanth was administered orally for 14 days and the hepatoprotective activity studied in CCl4 induced hepatic damage model. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed using various biochemical parameters like serum bilirubin, protein, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase along with histopathological studies of liver tissue. Results : There was a significant increase in serum levels of bilirubin, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase with a decrease in total protein level, in the CCl4 treated animals, reflecting liver injury. In the aqueous and ethanol extracts treated animals there was a decrease in serum levels of the markers and significant increase in total protein, indicating the recovery of hepatic cells. Histological study of aqueous extract treated group exhibited moderate accumulation of fatty lobules and cellular necrosis where as ethanol extract treated animals revealed normal hepatic cords without any cellular necrosis and fatty infiltration. Conclusion: The ethanol and aqueous stem bark extract of P. santalinus afforded significant protection against CCl4 induced hepatocellular injury.