Pharmacological Evaluation Of Turnera Aphrodisiaca Leaves For Hepatoprotective Activity In Albino Rats

Abstract

Objective: The present study is done to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of Turnera
aphrodisiaca leaves against ethanol - induced liver damage in male Wistar rats.
Methods: Rats were divided into five different groups each having six. Group 1 served as a Normal control, Group 2
received 40% ethanol (2 ml/100 g, oral), in sterile water, Groups 4 and 5served as extract treatment groups and
received a dose of 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg, orally, ethanolic leaf extract of Turnera aphrodisiaca (ELTA) and Group
3 served as standard group and received silymarin at a dose of 25 mg/kg orally, treatment protocols followed 21
days, and after which rats were sacrificed, the liver was taken for biochemical and histological studies, respectively.
Results: It was found that ethanolic leaf extract of Turnera aphrodisiaca (ELTA) at a dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg body
weight showed significant hepatoprotective activity by lowering the alkaline phosphate (ALP), Serum Glutamate
Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT), Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT), and total bilirubin contents
and also significantly increased the levels of total protein. The results of histopathological studies further supported
this hepatoprotective activity. Ethanolic leaf extract of Turnera aphrodisiaca at dose of 400 mg/Kg showed significant
hepatoprotective activity that is equivalent to silymarin.
Conclusion: It is concluded that the alcoholic extract of Turnera aphrodisiaca leaves protects against ethanol-induced
oxidative liver injury in rats.