POTENTIAL HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT AND ANTIOXIDANT ROLE OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF MORINDA TINCTORIA IN CARBON TETRACHLORIDE INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN ALBINO RATS

Isha I. Sait*, Jyoti Harindran, A. Abdul Vahab, Jeena J. L, Nasli S. Jolly John

The present work examines the protective mechanisms of methanol extract of Morinda tinctoria in carbon tetrachloride intoxicated rats. Rats are treated with carbon tetrachloride at the dose of 1 ml/kg body weight intraperitonially once every 72 hrs for 14 days. The hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of Morinda tinctoria was evaluated by measuring levels of serum marker enzymes like serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The serum levels of total protein and bilirubin were also estimated. The histological studies were also carried out to support the above parameters. Administration of extract (400and 800 mg/kg) significantly (p< 0.05) prevented CCl4-induced elevation of levels of serum GPT, GOT, ALP, and bilirubin. The results are comparable with standard drug silymarin. A comparative histopathological study of liver exhibited almost normal architecture, as compared to CCl4 treated control group. These data suggest that the methanol extract of Morinda tinctoria may act as a hepatoprotective and antioxidant agent.