Effect of Aerva lanata against hepatotoxicity of carbon tetrachloride in rats

The partially purified petroleum ether extractable fraction of the whole plant Aerva lanata (PF) was evaluated for the protective effect against liver damage induced by carbon tetra chloride (CCl4) in Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were orally administered with PF (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight) for 14 days before CCl4 challenge and 100 mg of PF alone for toxicity analysis without CCl4 administration. The results showed that CCl4 administration significantly damaged the liver as evident from histopathology and very high activity of serum and liver marker enzymes. It also reduced the antioxidant enzyme status of the animals. PF administration significantly reversed the histopathological changes and restored the elevated activities of liver marker enzymes and also enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities. The extract also reduced hepatic lipid peroxidation and increased the serum total protein and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of PF showed the presence of alkaloids. These observations clearly indicate that PF contains antioxidant alkaloids capable of ameliorating the CCl4-induced hepatic injury by virtue of its antioxidant activity.