Hepatoprotective Activity of Aqueous Extract of Sphaeranthus Indicus Against Paracetamol Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

From ancient time, medicinal plants are used as source of medicine to treat several diseases. Several Ayurvedic drugs and its formulations are traditionally used to treat several liver diseases. One such important Ayurvedic drug is Munditika or Mundi which has been used to treat various diseases like jaundice, fever, epilepsy, gastric disorders and painful swellings. The accepted source of Munditika is Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. In the present study aqueous extract of whole plant of Sphaeranthus indicus was evaluated for hepatoprotective activity against paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Liver toxicity was induced by administration of Paracetamol orally at a dose of 2 g/kg. Protective effect of the extract was assessed by measuring the levels of serum enzymes like SGOT, SGPT, ALP, total protein and total bilirubin. Results of our study showed that administration of aqueous extract of whole plant of Sphaeranthus indicus at 400 mg/kg b.wt showed significant (***P < 0.001) reduction in elevated serum enzyme levels compared to paracetamol induced toxic group, indicating the protective role of Sphaeranthus indicus extract against Paracetamol induced liver toxicity.