Hepatoprotective activity of colocasia antiquorum against experimentally induced liver injury in rats

Colocasia antiquorum (Araceae) commonly known as ‘taro’, was claimed to have medicinal properties to treat hepatic ailments in ancient literature. The aim of this work was to study the hepatoprotective effect of crude ethanolic extracts of C. antiquorum. Ethanolic extract obtained from the corms of C. antiquorum (L.) Schott (Araceae), was evaluated for hepatoprotective activity using paracetamol and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) intoxicated rats as experimental models. The protective effect was evident from serum biochemical parameters and histopathological analysis. Ethanolic extract of C. antiquorum significantly (P 0.5) prevented the elevation of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) in paracetamol and CCl4 treated rats as compared to silymarin, which was used as a positive control. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections showing the prevention of disarrangement and degeneration of hepatic cells induced by paracetamol and CCl4. The activity may be a result of the presence of anthocyanin compounds. Furthermore, acute toxicity studies showed no signs of toxicity up to a dose level of 1000 mg/kg. Thus, it may be concluded that ethanolic extract of C. antiquorum possesses significant hepatoprotective properties