Hepatoprotective activity of Chamaecrista nigricans in Experimental Rats

An important ethnomedicinal plant Chamaecrista nigricans (Vahl) Greene, widely used for antipyretic, appetite, family planning, fevers, sore throat, wounds and various gastrointestinal disorders including diarrhoea and peptic ulcer. In the present study, acute toxicity and hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract alone were carried out in experimental animals approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. In acute toxicity studies, there was no mortality in animals when the extracts tested as per OECD guidelines. Regarding hepatoprotective activity, methanol leaf extract significantly reduced the increased level of serum marker enzymes such as ACP, ALP, ALT, AST and Total bilirubin. The protective effect of the methanol extract was also confirmed by histopathological examination which supports that the methanol leaf extract repaired the liver damage caused by CCl4. Thus the present study provides scientific evidence to the extracts of their hepatoprotective potential against liver damage and offers lead for further research in drug development. Keywords: Ethnomedicine; Chamaecrista Nigricans; Acute Toxicity; Hepatoprotective; Drug Development