Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Effects of Eupatorium ayapana against Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

The present study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effect of the methanol extract of Eupatorium ayapana (MEEA) (Family- Asteraceae) leaves in Wistar albino rats. The different groups of animals were administered with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) at 72 h interval.  The MEEA at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg and silymarin 25 mg/kg were administered to the CCl4 treated rats. The effect of MEEA and silymarin on serum transaminase (SGOT, SGPT), serum alkaline phosphates (SALP), bilirubin, uric acid and total protein were measured in the CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Further, the effects of the extract on lipid peroxidation (LPO), enzymatic antioxidant such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalase (CAT), and nonenzymatic antioxidant like glutathione (GSH) were estimated. MEEA and silymarin produced significant (P < 0.05) hepatoprotective effect by decreasing the activity of serum enzymes, bilirubin, uric acid, and lipid peroxidation and significantly (P < 0.05) increased the levels of SOD, CAT, GSH and protein in a dose dependent manner. From these results, it was suggested that MEEA possesses potent hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties.