EVALUATION OF HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF COLEUS VETTIVEROIDES ROOTS ON EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED HEPATO TOXIC MODELS

The present study was aimed to assess the hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of Coleus vettiveroides on experimentally induced hepatotoxic models. Phytochemical screening of EECV was carried out and the results showed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, tannin, flavonoids, phenolics, proteins and aminoacid, steroids and triterpenoids. HPTLC screening of EECV was carried out along with different marker compounds to ensure the presence of phytoconstituents such as Quercetin, Rutin, and Gallic acid. Antioxidant activities of the herbal extract were determined using both DPPH and ABTS scavenging method. MTT assay is most widely used to determine the cytotoxic potential of medicinal agents and other toxic materials. It was observed that for different concentrations of EECV, the cell viability was greater than 90%. In-vitro hepatoprotective activity of EECV was evaluated on Hep G2 cells, the human hepatoma cell line. In Hep G2 treatment with EECV (12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 μg/ml) the cell viability was above 90% indicating that EECV showed no cytotoxicity up to 200 μg/ml. Evaluation of biochemical parameters showed a significant increase in the activities of AST, ALT, and ALP that indicates increased permeability, severe damage to hepatocytes after exposing to CCl₄. In the present study, hepatotoxicity model in Wistar rats was successfully produced by administering INH and RIF (15 and 10 mg/kg respectively) orally. The protective effects of EECV were further confirmed by histopathological examination of the livers, showing marked protection against liver tissue damage, normal lobular architecture, dilated sinusoidal spaces and vacuolization as compared to controls.