title: Protective effects of Pergularia daemia roots against paracetamol and carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pergularia daemia (Forsk) Chiov. (Asclepiadaceae) is a slender, hispid, fetid-smelling perennial climber and has been used for the treatment of inflammation, diabetes, malaria, asthma, and liver disorders. Ethnopharmacological surveys conducted among herbal practitioners of Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India, revealed that large numbers of laticiferous plant species are used as a source of herbal therapies, in which Pergularia daemia was commonly used to treat liver disease and jaundice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The hepatoprotective effect of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Pergularia daemia roots by paracetamol and carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver damage in rats was studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aqueous (PdAE) and ethanol (PdEE) extracts of Pergularia daemia were studied for their hepatoprotective effects on paracetamol and CCl(4)-induced liver damage on Wistar albino rats. The degree of protection was measured by physical changes (liver weight), biochemical (serum gultamic pyruvic transaminase, serum gultamic oxaloacetic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, cholesterol and decrease in protein), antioxidant enzymes (lipid peroxidation and glutathione levels), and histological changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pretreatment with PdAE and PdEE significantly prevented the physical, biochemical, antioxidant enzyme levels and histological changes induced by paracetamol and CCl(4) in the liver. The effects of PdAE and PdEE were comparable to that of the standard drug silymarin. The ethanol extract was found to exhibit greater hepatoprotective activity than the aqueous extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that Pergularia daemia could be useful in preventing chemically induced acute liver injury. From this study it can be concluded that the aqueous and ethanol extracts of P. daemia possess significant hepatoprotective activity.
authors.affiliation: M.P. Patel College of Pharmacy, Kapadwanj, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Bhaskar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029062:Apocynaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007194:India; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012838:Silymarin; D000082:Acetaminophen; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride