TRANSMISSION OF HEPATOCURATIVE EFFECT OF SPILANTHES ACMELLA EXTRACT BASED GEL

Spilanthes acmella (SA) commonly known as “Akarkara” frequently available in most of the areas of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, Japan, and Thailand; is well reputed in the indigenous system of medicine for its medicinal use in toothache and rheumatic fever. The present study was aimed to evaluate its traditional use in liver diseases using the in-vivo model of rabbits. The Spilanthes acmella extract (SAE) based gel was investigated for its hepatocurative activities in Paracetamol intoxicated (2 g/kg) rabbits. Rabbits were divided into three groups, normal control (saline-treated) hepatotoxic control (Paracetamol treated) and remaining one was hepatotoxic treated with the SAE -based gel (400 mg/kg) for 7-14 days. One serving as control another as hepatotoxic and last one as treated with Paracetamol and then SAE-based gel Group 2^nd and 3^rd were intoxicated with Paracetamol. After the 3^rd day of the treatment with Paracetamol, increased serum transaminases (sGOT and sGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were observed. In the case of hepatocuration of SAE -based gel caused a significant reduction in all the above serum markers for liver functioning. These data and histopathological study suggest that the presence of the hepatocurative constituents in SAE -based gel rationalizes its medicinal use in liver dysfunction.