Investigation of In-vivo antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of ethanolic extracts of Bombax insigne (Sw.) K. Schum on Swiss albino Rat

Medicinal plants are frequently used in traditional medicine and about 80% peoples of developing countries use this traditional therapy to treat their ailments. Bombax insigne (Sw.). K. Shcum is a large deciduous tree, locally known as Bon or Pahari shimul or Tula gachh. The present study was designed to investigate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of ethanolic extract of B. insigne fresh bark. In-vivo antioxidant activity tests were performed by determining the lipid peroxidation and catalase concentration of the homogenized liver of Swiss albino rats receiving two doses (1.5 and 3 gm/kg body weight) of the plant extract with 750 mg/kg body weight of paracetamol. For liver function tests (LFT), total 35 rats were taken and divided into five groups containing seven animals in each. Group I received distilled water; group II received only paracetamol. Group III received paracetamol with silymarin. Group IV and V both were treated with paracetamol along with two doses of B. insigne extract. To evaluate the hepatoprotective potential, seven liver test markers such as total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) of rats were considered. Test’s result for antioxidant activity demonstrated that the plant extract could inhibit the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) induced by paracetamol. Enhancement of the level of the antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT) was also observed. Paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats, as judged by the raised total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, serum enzymes, ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, were significantly prevented by the treatment with the extracts at different doses, demonstrating the hepatoprotective action of B. insigne. Histopathological observation also confirmed the hepatoprotective potential of B. insigne. Livers those were challenged with paracetamol exhibits the dishevelment of normal hepatic cells with centrilobular necrosis, inflammatory encroachment of lymphocytes and fatty changes were significantly protected by plant extract. The results of the present study suggested that B. insigne has antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential.