folus in C. longa. All authors have none to declare. The authors
are thankful to the Management and Principal of K.S. Rangasamy College of Technology, Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu, India for providing the infra structure facilities for the present study. The authors profusely grateful to Mr. Kumaravel of IICPT, Tanjavore, India for GC–MS analysis. “
“Liver is one of the important vital organs with several important homeostatic responsibilities. One of the primary functions of the liver is to aid in the metabolism of ingested substances, including food, selleck chemicals llc dietary supplements, alcohol and majority of medications. Various types of liver disorders are characterized by cirrhosis, jaundice, tumors, metabolic and degenerative lesions and ZD1839 liver cell necrosis etc. Beside virus liver disorders can arise due to excessive drug therapy, environmental pollution and alcohol intoxication. The management of liver disorders is still a challenge to the modern medicine. Herbal drugs play a very important role in the treatment of liver diseases. Carbon tetrachloride is one of the powerful hepatotoxin in terms of severity of the injury. Administration of single dose of CCl4 to a rat produces a centrilobular necrosis and fatty changes. The poison reaches its maximum concentration in the liver within 3 h of administration.
The development of necrosis is associated with leakage of hepatic enzyme into serum.1 and 2 Thus it causes biochemical changes similar to the clinical features of acute viral hepatitis.3, 4 and 5 Effect of antioxidant or free radical scavenging has been widely tested for the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic liver injuries.6 and 7 In some of the studies, antioxidant has shown beneficial effects, specifically for prevention and treatment of chronic liver injury.8 Cassytha filiformis is parasitic leafless plant belonging to the family Lauraceae. 9 This plant is widely distributed throughout India, China and South Africa. 10C. filiformis is used as antiplatelet agent, vasorelaxant, alpha adrenoreceptor antagonist, diuretic and antitrypanosomal agent. 11, 12, 13 and 14
Some of the isolated Thiamine-diphosphate kinase compounds from these plants are aporphine alkaloids, oxo aporphine, cassyformin, filiformin, lignin and octinine. 15, 16 and 17 Ethnobotanical survey revealed that C. filiformis have many traditional use for relief of ulcer, diuretic, haemorrhoids, hepatitis, cough and tonic etc. 18, 19 and 20 Since the hepatoprotective activity of C. filiformis has not been scientifically investigated, in the present study hepatoprotective activity of C. filiformis has been carried out. Whole plant of C. filiformis were collected from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh and authenticated by Dr. K. Madhava Chetty, Dept of Botany, Venkateswara University, Tirupati. voucher specimen no 312. The collected whole plant was shade dried and subjected to pulverization to get coarse powder.