Abstract
Vetiveria zizanioides roots possess anthelmintic, antimicrobial and in-vitro antioxidant activity. The aim of present study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of methanolic extract of Vetiveria Zizanioides roots (MEVZ) against CCL4-induced acute liver damage in rats. Animals were pretreated with MEVZ (300 and 500 mg/kg, p.o) and silymarin (200 mg/kg, p.o) respectively 30 min prior to CCL4 (0.5 ml/kg, i.p) ingestion for 7 days. The effects of MEVZ were assessed directly by liver histology and by serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphate (ALP), total and direct bilirubin (TBL & DBL), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), total protein (TP), liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH). Also Serum Interleukin (IL-6), IL-1 beta and Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CCl4-induced acute liver damage offers a protection in MEVZ treated rats and its effects are comparable with standard drug silymarin. The data indicated that ALT, AST, ALP, TBL, DBL, LDH, GGT, MDA, IL-6, IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha level were significantly increased and decreased in GSH and TP levels in CCL4 control. We found significantly reversal in all above parameters in treated groups. Our results clearly suggest hepatoprotective potentials of MEVZ mediated through attenuation of TNF-alpha and Il-6 mediated pathways, indicates it as a novel herbal drug for the prevention of acute liver damage.