HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF CURCUMA LONGA IN ETHANOL INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS 

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of aqueous extract of Curcuma longa in ethanol induced hepatotoxicity in albino wistar rats. Six groups, each group containing of six rats allotted to different treatment groups. Group 1 (control) is treated with normal saline (10 ml/kg bw po) as vehicle only. All other groups received ethanol (10 ml/kg bw po) with group 2 serving as ethanol treated control. After ethanol administration, group 3, 4 and 5 also received Curcuma longa at different doses (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg bw po) respectively. As for group 6, after ethanol administration rats receive silymarin (200mg/kg bw po). At the 28th day, animals were anaesthetized with ether and blood was collected from the retro orbital plexus and serum is separated by centrifugation. To study the liver function, the transaminase enzymes (AST, ALT, and ALP) were measured in the serum of respective groups. Histopathological study was also conducted to measure the action of Curcuma longa on parameters such as hepatic fatty degeneration and centrizonal necrosis of respective groups. Present study suggested that ethanol administration increased the levels of transaminase enzymes. However, the aqueous extract of Curcuma longa significantly reduced the elevated serum levels of transaminase enzymes in ethanol intoxicated rats.  Apart from that, ethanol also causes hepatic fatty degeneration and centrizonal necrosis in ethanol intoxicated rats. Histopathological studies showed administration of aqueous extract of Curcuma longa offered significant protection from these damaging actions as study showed marked reduction in fatty degeneration and centrizonal necrosis in ethanol intoxicated rats. Present study suggests that aqueous extract of Curcuma longa has significant hepatoprotective activity against ethanol intoxicated rats.

Key words: Curcuma longa, Ethanol, Hepatoprotective, Transaminase enzymes, Histopathological study.