Phytochemical and Pharmacological Evaluation of Selected Medicinal Plants and Development of their Formulations for Hepatoprotective Activity

Abstract

The objective of the current investigation is to explore the phytochemical and pharmacological assessment of medicinal plants under investigation and designing of their polyherbal formulations for hepatic defensive potential. The pharmacological screening of selected medicinal plant concentrates has been performed to govern its toxicity (acute and sub-acute), hepatic defensive and antioxidant potentials. Histopathological examinations performed on isolated organ (liver) further support their ethnomedicinal claims. In this study, three plants S. xanthocarpum, H. corymbosa, and T. dioica were selected on the basis of their ethnopharmacological relevance, folklore claims, and traditional uses. Two alkaloids (Protopine and Corycavidine) were isolated and characterized by H. corymbosa however; one flavonoid (Quercetin) was isolated and characterized by S. xanthocarpum plants. Their hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects were reported in order to develop polyherbal formulations against Simvastatin and D-galactosamine induced hepatopathy. During the pharmacological screening of plant extracts, the activity of ALP, AST, ALT, and#955;-GT, CHL, Bilirubin and Urea were significantly elevated against D-galactosamine and Simvastatin treated animals in comparison to (Group-I) normal control rodents. Rodents charged with test drug (SXE) at different tested doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg), causes succeeding retrieval towards normal levels in comparison to the normal control (Group-I) animals. SXE at various dose levels offers hepatoprotection, but 400 mg/kg is more effective than all other lower doses. Silymarin at a dose of 200 mg/kg served as the reference showed a maximum hepatoprotection as related to toxic group. The ethanolic concentrate of H. corymbosa (HCE) demonstrated significant hepatoprotective activity as shown by its ability to control the rise of serum transaminases. Although the effects were more at dose of 400 mg/kg as equated to the 200mg/kg. Methanolic fruit extract of T. dioica (TXE) demonstrated better protection