EVALUATION OF AN ANTI-OXIDANT PROPERTY OF METHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF COSTUS PICTUS D DON ON PARACETAMOL INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE IN WISTAR RAT

Abstract

Liver diseases caused by medical drugs are of growing concern due to irrational over the counter drug usage.
Paracetamol which is one of the most commonly used NSAIDS causes centrilobular hepatic necrosis and it can be fatal in
over dose. Costus pictus D Don is claimed to have an antioxidant property. The aim of the study is to compare the
hepatoprotective effect of methanolic leaf extract of Costus pictus D Don and silymarin on liver damage induced by
paracetamol in Wistar rats by evaluating its anti-oxidant property. 30 male adult Wistar rats weighing > 250g were
selected for the study. Wistar rats were randomized into 5 groups with 6 rats each as Normal control -0.5%
carboxymethylcellulose(7 days), Standard group - silymarin 25mg/kg (7 days) + Paracetamol 2 g/kg (5th day) , Test
group I-200 mg/kg methanolic leaf extract+paracetamol 2g/kg(5th day) , Test group II-100 mg/kg methanolic leaf
extract+paracetamol 2g/kg(5th day) 8#x38; Toxic control- 0.5%(7 days)+paracetamol 2g/kg(5th day). The animals were
sacrificed on 8th day, supernatant of liver homogenate was sent for biochemical analysis for i) Thiobarbituric acid reactive
substance (TBARS) Assay, ii) Reduced Glutathione(GSH) 8#x38; iii) Catalase (CAT). Standard group animals 8#x38; Test group 1
animals showed significant decrease in TBARS level (15.51±0.28, 15.60±0.28) and significant increase in GSH
(4.590±0.230, 4.125±0.273) 8#x38;CAT (333.855±4.022,332.548±3.107). In our study Costus pictus D Don showed
beneficial effect on paracetamol induced liver toxicity in a dose dependent manner which validates the antioxidant
property of the extract.