EVALUATION OF THE HEPATOPROTECTIVE POTENTIAL OF JIGRINE

Objective: To evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of jigrine pre-treatment on thioacetamide induced liver damage in rats. Methods: Albino rats (Wistar strain) were prophylactically treated with jigrine at two dose levels (0.5 ml and 1.0 ml/kg/day p.o.) for seven days. On days 6, rats were also given a single dose of thioacetamide (100 mg/ kg s.c.). Activity of jigrine against thioacetamide induced hepatotoxicity was also compared with silymarin (25 mg/kg/day p.o.). Biochemical parameters like serum AST, ALT, Na+, K+, tissue glutathione, tissue TBARS were estimated to assess the liver function. Biochemical observations were supplemented with histopathological examination of liver sections. Results: Thioacetamide administration increased the AST, ALT, Na+ and K+ levels in serum and TBARS in liver. Pre-treatment of the rats with jigrine or silymarin reduced the thioacetamide induced elevated levels of the above indices. Thioacetamide administration decreased the