EVALUATION OF ACUTE TOXICITY OF NEEM ACTIVE CONSTITUENT, NIMBOLIDE AND ITS HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY AGAINST ACUTE DOSE OF CARBON TETRACHLORIDE TREATED ALBINO RATS

Objective: To investigate the neem active constituent nimbolide for the evidence of acute toxicity and its protective effects against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) induced liver toxicity in rats.

Materials and Methods: Group allotment in hepatoprotective activity study included vehicle, CCl₄ (1ml/kg), Silymarin (100 µg/kg/day) + CCl₄ and graded doses of nimbolide (100 and 200µg/ kg/ day) + CCl₄. On 9^th day, blood was obtained for determination of biochemical parameters and liver tissue for pathological examination.

Results: There were no toxicological effects as evidenced by signs of mortality, behavior, diet consumption and tissue weights, however, some hematological parameters showed alterations in their value at higher dose level. The degree of protection was measured by using various biochemical parameters like total protein, albumin, BUN, AST, ALT and ALP levels. Nimbolide showed dose dependent hepatoprotective in nature which was further substantiated by marked decrease in incidence of hepatocellular necrosis on histopathological and transmission electron microscopic analysis.

Conclusion: This study suggests nimbolide possess hepatoprotective effect against CCl₄ induced liver damage in rats with efficiency similar to that of Silymarin standard.