HEPATOPROTECTIVE AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT OF POLYGONUM PERSICARIA LINN AND ITS ACTIVE PRINCIPLE ON CARBON TETRACHLORIDE INDUCED TOXICITY IN RATS

Abstract

The present study was carried out to observe the hepatoprotective effect and antioxidant activity of the aqueous extract of the roots of Polygonum persicaria (PP) and its active principle i.e Tannic Acid (TA) in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride (1.5 ml/kg, i.p.). Twenty albino wistar rats were allotted to five groups (control, CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity and hepatotoxicity with Polygonum persicaria and Tannic acid and one group acts as a standard treated with silymarin 100 mg/kg. Rats were scarified after 14 days. Toxicity was performed using 12 rats. They were randomly divided into three groups (control and treated with 200 mg/kg (B.wt) of Polygonum persicaria & 200 mg/kg (B.wt) of Tannic acid. Extract of PP and TA at the tested doses restored the levels of liver homogenate enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S transferase, superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes significantly and supported the biochemical observations. This study suggests that Tannic acid has a more liver protective effect in comparison of Polygonum persicaria against carbon tetrachloride- induced hepatotoxicity and possess antioxidant activities and exhibited moderate anticancer activity towards cell viability at higher concentration. Liver injury was confirmed by the histological changes.