title: Hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activities of Plantago major L.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of Plantago major L. (PM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Anti-inflammatory activity: Control and reference groups were administered isotonic saline solution (ISS) and indomethacin, respectively. Plantago major groups were injected PM in doses of 5 mg/kg (PM-I), 10 mg/kg (PM-II), 20 mg/kg (PM-III) and 25 mg/kg (PM-IV). Before and three hours after the injections, the volume of right hind-paw of rats was measured using a plethysmometer. HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY: The hepatotoxicity was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration. Control, CCl4 and reference groups received isotonic saline solution, CCl4 and silibinin, respectively. Plantago major groups received CCl4 (0.8 ml/kg) and PM in doses of 10, 20 and 25 mg/kg, respectively for seven days. Blood samples and liver were collected on the 8th day after the animals were killed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plantago major had an anti-inflammatory effect matching to that of control group at doses of 20 and 25 mg/kg. It was found that reduction in the inflammation was 90.01% with indomethacin, 3.10% with PM-I, 41.56% with PM-II, 45.87% with PM-III and 49.76% with PM-IV. Median effective dose (ED50) value of PM was found to be 7.507 mg/kg. Plantago major (25 mg/kg) significantly reduced the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels when compared to the CCl4 group. The histopathological findings showed a significant difference between the PM (25 mg/kg) and CCl4 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that PM had a considerable anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Yüzüncu Yil University, 65300 Van-Turkey.
authors.forename: Idris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Türel
authors.forename: Hanefi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.forename: Remzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Erten
authors.forename: Ahmet Cihat
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Oner
authors.forename: Nureddin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cengiz
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yilmaz