Antioxidant Potential and Hepatoprotectivity of Hydromethanolic Extract of Litchi chinensis Fruits: In Vivo and In Vitro Studies

The antioxidant activity and phytoconstituents of the hydromethanolic extract of Litchi chinensis (HELC) fruit was explored in the present study. The antioxidant potential of extract has been evaluated using several antioxidant models and results were compared to standards. Fruit extract showed effective reducing power and free radical scavenging activity in a dose-dependent manner. In case of in vitro studies, the IC50 values were found to be 100, 525, 550 and 1000 μg/ml respectively in DPPH, Superoxide, Hydroxyl radical and Nitric oxide scavenging assays. In case of in vivo studies, the levels of liver enzymatic [Serum glutamate oxalo-acetate (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate (SGPT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Catalase (CAT), Superoxide dismutase (SOD)], non-enzymatic systems [Glutathione (GSH)] and Lipid peroxidation (LPO) level were restored toward the normal value in HELC-treated carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity which suggest the hepatoprotective effect of Litchi chinensis in rats. The antioxidant activity of Litchi chinensis may be due to the presence of phenolic (pyrocatechol and gallic acid content is 5.7 and 2.81 μg/mg respectively), vitamin C (ascorbic acid content is 0.943 μg/mg) and flavonoid compounds (5.415 μg/mg) present in HELC. The results obtained in the present study indicate that the Litchi chinensis fruit is a potential source of natural antioxidant.