HEPATOPROTECTIVE AND NEPHROPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF BARK EXTRACT OF BRIDELIA RETUSA SPRENG IN CCL4 TREATED FEMALE MICE

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to investigate hepatoprotective and nephroprotective activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the stem bark of Bridelia retusa in carbon tertrachloride treated female mice. The protective activity of the extracts was justified by the significant decrease in the weights of adrenal glands when compared to CCL4 treated group and the weights of ovary was increased to that of the normal control group. The enzyme activity of ALAT (Alanine transaminase) and LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase) in the liver while that of ALAT, ASAT (Aspartate transaminase), LDH and AKP (Alkaline phosphotase) in the kidney were significantly lowered (p<0.05) in all the groups treated with extracts when compared to CCL4 treated group and were found to be brought almost to normal control. When compared to mice treated with CCL4, group IV and V showed significantly (p<0.05) lowered ASAT activity while group III and V showed significantly (p<0.05) lowered AKP enzyme activity in the liver and the values were normalized to that of group I. The enzyme activity of ACP in the liver and kidney was significantly increased (p<0.05) in all the groups treated with extracts when compared to CCL4 treated group and were found to be brought almost to normal control. The ATPase enzyme activity of liver and kidney was significantly (p<0.05) increased with respect to that of CCL4 treated group. The concentration of protein, carbohydrate, DNA, RNA and cholesterol in the liver and kidney were estimated to be significantly (p<0.05) increased when compared to that of CCL4 treated group except that of cholesterol in kidney and the values were almost equivalent to that of normal group. In general, both the extracts possessed protective activity though ethanolic extract was found to exhibit greater protection.