Piper nigrum popularly known as 'Black Pepper' contains abundant amount of piperine alkaloids. Piperine alkaloids have been implicated in Hepatoprotective activity. To evaluate effect of methanolic extract of Piper nigrum fruits in Ethanol-CCl4 induced hepatotoxicityWistar rats. The methanolic extract of P. nigrum (MEPN) (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o., 15 days) and Piperine (PPR) (50 mg/kg, p.o., 15 days) was gavaged daily to the rats along with Ethanol [40%,2ml/100gm,p.o. for 15 days, twice a day] & on 14th Day CCL4 [1:1 in groundnut oil, 0.1 ml/kg,s.c.]. The levels of Triglycerides (TG), aminotranferases (AST, ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Bilirubin and Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione reductase (GSH) and Lipid peroxidation (TBARS) levels in liver were measured. Morphological and histopathological indices in the liver of healthy and Ethanol-CCl4 treated rats were also measured. In the underlying study, Ethanol- CCl4 exhibited increase in the hepatic biomarkers (TG, AST, ALT, ALP, and Bilirubin), LPO which were significantly decreased after pretreatment with MEPN (100, 200 mg/kg) and PPR (50 mg/kg). Ethanol- CCl4 significantly decreased levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH which were restored with MEPN and PPR. The results were similar to that of Liv52 [1ml/kg, p.o. for 15 days], which served as a reference standard. Histopathological studies were also in agreement of above. The study indicates that P. nigrum possess potential hepatoprotective activity which may be attributed to its piperine alkaloids, having therapeutic potential in treatment of liver disorders.
