Hepatoprotective Effects of Heracleum candicans Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Rats

Purpose: To determine the hepatoprotective mechanisms of Heracleum candicans in rats with acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Methods: Rats were intragastrically administered H candicans twice a day for 14 consecutive days and were intraperitoneally challenged with CCl4. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were measured to indicate liver injury. Malondialdehyde antioxidant enzyme activity and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 6 secretion were measured as liver injury indicators. Histopathological tests were conducted to determine whether H candicans ameliorated liver injury. Results: CCl4-induced liver injury led to significant increases in liver injury biochemical indicators transaminase and malondialdehyde activities. H candicans pretreatments inhibited these increases. Pathological sections in pretreated samples exhibited reduced vacuole formation, neutrophil infiltration, and necrosis. Conclusion: H candicans increases the antioxidant capacity of the liver and maintains hepatocyte function in the face of CCl4-induced injury.

Separation and Identification of Furocoumarin in Fruits ofHeracleum candicansDC. by HPTLC

Heracleum candicansWall. ex DC. (Apiaceae) is widely used in Indian system of medicines as an aphrodisiac, nerve tonic and also in the treatment of skin diseases with reports of being rich in furocoumarins which are extensively used in pharmaceutical industry for their photosensitizing activity on human skin. A simple high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of psoralen (1) and heraclenol (2) in the fruits ofH. candicans. The analytes were separated on silica gel F254plates with toluene : diethy lether : acetic acid (6 : 4 : 1) and scanned densitometrically at 350 nm. The method was validated in terms of precision, repeatability, and accuracy. The linear range for psoralen and heraclenol was found to be 1–5 μg spot−1and 1–4 μg spot−1with correlation coefficient of 0.973 and 0.964, respectively. The two compounds were quantified in fruits ofH. candicansand were found to be present in the range of 0.021–0.036% and 0.029–0.043% w/w. The method was found to be very simple, accurate, precise, and economical and can be used for routine quality control.