newlinephytopharmacognostical characters and to evaluate hepatoprotective activity of newlineTrichosanthes lobata

Abstract

Background: Evaluation of plant materials has always been an integral part in the newlinefield of drug discovery of phytopharmaceuticals. In the absence of availability of newlineeffective modern medicine which can treat and reverse the hepatic damage in several newlineliver disorders, the hepatoprotective potential of medicinal plant products, and the newlinediscovery of new chemical entities are essential. newlineObjective: The objective of the present research work was to investigate newlinephytopharmacognostical characters and to evaluate hepatoprotective activity of newlineTrichosanthes lobata, Uvaria narum and Zanthoxylum armatum plant extracts in newlineparacetamol-induced hepatic damage rat model. newlineMethodology: The selected medicinal plants were identified and authenticated from newlineBotanical Survey of India, Pune. The entire and powder form of each plant material newlinewere subjected to morpho-anatomical and phytochemical studies. The dose selection newlinestudy on alcoholic and aqueous extracts of each plant material was carried out as per newlineOECD guidelines. The hepatotoxicity was induced in rats by administration of newlineparacetamol at higher dose (2 gm/kg) reflected in term of increase lipid peroxidation, newlineimpairment in antioxidants [Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and newlineReduced Glutathione (GSH)] along with elevation of serum marker enzymes. The newlinepossible ameliorative effect of each plant extracts were administered at 200 and 400 newlinemg/kg p.o dose for 7 days. Silymarin was used as standard hepatoprotective drug. newlineHistopathological studies were also carried for the evaluation of hepatoprotective newlineactivity. newlineResults: Some of the important diagnostic features such as, glandular trichomes, newlinereticulate vessels of Trichosanthes lobata leaf; the arc shape vascular bundle, newlinearomatic taste are the special characters of Uvaria narum leaf while the presence of newlinexiii newline newlineoil cells and stone cells in Zanthoxylum armatum bark were observed. An important newlineobservation from phytochemistry point of view is presence of quercitin in the all the newlineextracts were quantified by usi