Protective Effect Of Neptunia Triquetra Extract On Hepatotoxicity Induced By A Chemotherapeutic Drug Cyclophosphamide In Rats

Abstract

Cyclophosphamide is the chemotherapeutic drug used to treat several types of cancers, it has many side effects among them hepatotoxicity is one of the important side effect taken in to consideration because, it is the condition in which impairment of normal liver function occurs that might leads to severe hepatic damage, if not diagnosed properly. Currently there is no therapy for CPA induced hepatotoxicity other than supportive treatment. Generally the imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant in the body is one of the important source of toxicities, developed by certain drugs and its metabolites. The medicinal plants, its extracts with antioxidant compounds are safe and have capacity to protect the body from various toxicities. So this study was aimed to screen the protective effect of Neptunia triquetra extract on cyclophosphamide induced hepatotoxicity. Rats were intoxicated with a single dose of CPA (200 mg/kg, by i.p) on 15th day of treatment to induce hepatotoxicity and it was confirmed by the altered levels of biochemical, hematological parameters along with histopathological changes in liver tissue. Treatment of rats with methanolic extract of Neptunia triquetra at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o for 15 days significantly protected the CPA induced hepatotoxicity as evidenced by restoration of all altered levels of biochemical, hematological parameters along with improved histopathological findings. From the results it was concluded that NTME protected the liver from CPA induced hepatotoxicity and the test dose of 400 mg/kg exhibited significantly more protective effect compared to the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg.