European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

AN EVALUATION OF HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS AND ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF BACOPA MONNIERI (L.) AGAINST PARACETAMOL-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN SWISS ALBINO MICE

Rubaba Karim*, Ashfia Fatima Khan, Rebeka Yeasmin, Jesmin Akter, Tanjela Akter

ABSTRACT

Bacopa monnieri L., locally known as ‘Brahmi’, is available widespread throughout Bangladesh. This plant contains significant phytochemical constituents and is well known for its numerous pharmacological properties, particularly, memory enhancing, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, sedative and anti-epileptic. A number of observations have been made on its hepatoprotective activities against chemical-induced liver toxicity in recent years. The present study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activities of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the aerial parts of Bacopa monnieri L. in paracetamol-induced hepatotoxic mice model. The animals were allocated into 7 groups and subsequent treatment was provided for 7 days. The toxic control group was given 400 mg/kg b.w./day (p.o.) of Paracetamol while 140 mg/kg b.w./day (p.o.) of Silymarin was administered to the normal control group. The treatment groups were given 200 & 400 mg/kg b.w./day (p.o.) of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the plant respectively. The hepatoprotective effect of different plant extracts were assessed by determining serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT & AST) and bilirubin. Our study revealed that treatment with 400 mg/kg (b.w. p.o.) of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the plant significantly reduced the levels of serum ALT, AST and bilirubin. In addition, the histopathological data of liver from a different animal group also supported the assessment of hepatoprotective activities of the plant based on biochemical parameters which confirms the restoration of the normal functional propensity of hepatocytes. To conclude, the present investigation suggests that high doses of different extracts of Bacopa monnieri L. offer potential protection against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity.

Keywords: Bacopa monnieri (L.), hepatotoxicity, hepatoprotective, aqueous extract, ethanolic extract, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin.