Hepatoprotective activity of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of leaves of Tylophora indica (Linn.)     in rats

Objective: To investigate the hepatoprotective activity of alcoholic (ALLT) and aqueous (AQLT) extracts of leaves of Tylophora indica (asclepiadaceae) against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity.
Materials and Methods: Leaf powder of Tylophora indica was successively extracted with alcohol and water. Preliminary phytochemical tests were done and the LD50 values for both extracts determined. The hepatoprotective activity of the ALLT and AQLT were assessed in ethanol-induced hepatotoxic rats.
Results: The ALLT showed presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, steroids, saponins and triterpenes, while alkaloids, carbohydrates and saponins were present with AQLT. The ALLT did not produce any mortality even at 5000 mg/kg while LD50 of AQLT was found to be 3162 mg/kg. Ethanol produced significant changes in physical (increased liver weight and volume), biochemical (increase in serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, cholesterol, triglycerides and decrease in total protein and albumin level), histological (damage to hepatocytes) and functional (thiopentone-induced sleeping time) liver parameters. Pretreatment with ALLT or AQLT extract significantly prevented the physical, biochemical, histological and functional changes induced by ethanol in the liver.
Conclusion: The present study indicates that ALLT and AQLT extracts possessed hepatoprotective activity. The alcoholic extract was found to exhibit greater hepatoprotective activity than the aqueous extract.