Hepatoprotective Effects of Thespesia lampas Dalz & Gibs in CCl4 Induced Liver Injury in Rats

Abstract

The extracts of the roots of Thespesia lampas (Malvaceae) were evaluated for hepatoprotective
activity in rats by inducing chronic liver damage by subcutaneous injection of 50% v/v carbon tetrachloride in Tween
80 at a dose of 3ml/kg for a period of 4 weeks. The biochemical parameters like serum glutamate pyruvate
transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum
bilirubin and total proteins were estimated to assess the liver function. Hepatic steatosis, centrilobular necrosis, and
often swelling of the hepatic cytoplasm were observed in carbontetra chloride treated group, while these were
completely absent in the extracts of T. lampas (300 mg/kg b.wt) treated groups (p<0.01). The present investigation
established pharmacological evidence to support the folkloric claim of hepatoprotective activity of T. lampas.