Hepatoprotective activity of cochlospermum tinctorium against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The present study examines the potential hepatoprotective action of methanolic extract of Cochlospermum tinctorium leaf on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damaged in rats. Forty rats divided into four groups (group 1 – control; group 2 – CCl4 induced; group 3 – CCl4 + C. tinctorium extract (200 mg/kg); group 4 – CCl4 + prednisolone (standard anti-inflammatory drug) of ten rats in each were used. Administration of CCl4 induced hepatic damage in rats, as evidenced by a significant (p<0.05) increase in the levels of serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase SGPT, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase SGOT, cholesterol and bilirubin levels. The level of malondialdehyde MDA (an index of oxidative stress) was also higher in the CCl4 group, when compared to other groups. However, administration of methanolic extract of C. tinctorium (200 mg/kg) after CCl4 administration (group 3) brought a significant (p<0.05) reduction in values of these parameters compared to the CCl4 treated group (group 1). The potential hepatoprotective activity of the extract was also demonstrated by its regenerative action on some damaged liver tissues, as evidenced by the histopathological studies of the representative liver sample of group 3 rats’ liver section, which showed hepatic regeneration, with no visible pathology. This study therefore showed the potential of the C. tinctorium leaf extract to decrease the levels of serum markers enzymes, indicating the protection of hepatic cells, and to confer some levels of protection against CCl4 induced hepatocellular injury.