title: Isolation and in vivo hepatoprotective activity of Melothria heterophylla (Lour.) Cogn. against chemically induced liver injuries in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate hepatoprotective activity of ethanol extract of Melothria heterophylla Lour Cogn. (EEMH) against CCl(4)-induced hepatic damage in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  β-sitosterol was isolated by column chromatography and characterized spectroscopically. Two different doses (200 and 400 mg/kg bw) of EEMH were administered orally in alternate days. The hepatoprotective activity was studied in liver by measuring biochemical parameters such as serum aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein and total bilirubin. Lipid peroxidation product and different antioxidant enzyme activities were assessed in liver homogenate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EEMH reduced all biochemical parameters and lipid peroxidation, as well as it increased the antioxidant enzyme activities in comparison with silymarin. The protective effect of the extract on CCl(4) induced damage was confirmed by histopathological examination of the liver.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result strongly supports the protective effect of EEMH against acute liver injury, and may be attributed to its antioxidative activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. arijit_ncp@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Arijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.forename: Tapan Kumar
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Maity
authors.forename: Dilipkumar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Santanu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sannigrahi
authors.forename: Jagadish
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000009:adverse effects; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019662:Cucurbitaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D012838:Silymarin; D012855:Sitosterols; C025473:gamma-sitosterol; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase