EVALUATION OF HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF CUCURBITA MAXIMA AERIAL PARTS

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (Cucurbitaceae) (MECM) against carbon-tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced hepatotoxicity. Hepatotoxicity was induced in Wistar rat s by intraperitoneal injection of CCl 4 in liquid paraffin (1:2), 1.0 ml/kg, once in every 72 h during the 14 days treatment period. MECM was administered orally at the doses of 200 and 400 mg kg -1 daily for 14 days. Silymarin (25 mg kg -1 ) was used as standard drug. Hepatoprotective activity was evaluated by the biochemical estimation of liver function parameters (SGPT, SGOT , ALP, tot al protein and total billirubin), antioxidant assays of liver homogenate (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione content, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity) and histological study of liver tissue. In MECM treated animals, the toxic effect of CCl 4 was controlled significantly by restoration of the biochemical parameters, such as, SGPT, SGOT , ALP, total protein and total billirubin, as well as by the improvement of the antioxidant status to/towards near normal values. Histology of the liver sections of the animals treated with the extracts showed the presence of normal hepatic cords, absence of necrosis and fatty infiltration, which further evidenced the hepatoprotective activity of C. maxima. Methanol extract of the aerial parts of C. maxima possesses significant hepatoprotective activity.