HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF COCCULUS HIRSUTUS LINN. AGAINST ETHANOL-INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS

The present study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of Cocculus Hirsutus Linn against ethanol-induced liver damage in albino wistar rats. Hepatotoxicity was induced by daily dose of 28.5% ethanol (3ml/kg/day p.o.) in three divided doses up to 30 days as manifested by statistically significant increase in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and bilirubin level. Pretreatment of rats with the extract at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg prior to 28.50% ethanol dosing at 3ml/100g/day p.o statistically lowered the serum liver enzyme activities. The activity of the extract was comparable to the standard drug, silymarin (50mg/kg, p.o.). Results obtained from histopathological studies also supported hepatoprotective activity against ethanolinduced hepatotoxicity. Thus the study demonstrates that methanolic extract of Cocculus Hirsutus possess antihepatotoxic effect against alcohol.