IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND IN VIVO HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC WHOLE PLANT EXTRACT OF NYMPHOIDES HYDROPHYLLA IN CCL4 INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE IN ALBINO RATS

Abstract

In the present study locally available plant Nymphoides hydrophylla was screened for its in-vitro antioxidant and in-vivo hepatoprotective activity. The In vitro antioxidant activity of Nymphoides hydrophylla was studied using four types of oxygen free radical systems. Nymphoides hydrophylla had effective scavenging abilities against free radicals which was determined using standard methods like DPPH, Reducing power method, Nitric oxide assay and Phosphomolybdenum methods against standard gallic acid. The In-vivo hepatoprotective effect of Nymphoides hydrophylla was evaluated in Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced albino rats for acute liver injury. The animals were divided into six groups, each group containing three animals and two different doses of the extract were administered orally for five days. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed by estimating various biochemical parameters and histopathological studies. CCl4 administration caused severe hepatic damage in rats as evidenced by elevated SGPT, SGOT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin levels. The ethanolic whole plant extract of Nymphoides hydrophylla significantly lowered the biological indicators and the results were compared with that of standard drug Silymarin. The histopathological study of liver was carried out and observed. The present study concludes that ethanolic whole plant extract of Nymphoides hydrophylla has significant antioxidant activity and succeeded to restore the biochemical parameters and improved the histological alteration of the liver.