Tragia involucrata (TI) Linn is a shrub belongs to family Ephorbiaceae widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. It has been used as a traditional remedy since ancient days but its hepatoprotective effect is not yet well characterized. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of T. involucrata extract in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Wistar rats of either sex were treated with normal saline (0.5 ml/kg p.o.), T. involucrata extracts (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg p.o.), and silymarin (100 mg/kg p.o.) respectively. The treatment duration lasted for 7 days and on 8th day, 12 hrs overnight fasted animals except control group were treated with 1 ml of CCl4 in liquid paraffin (1:1). Blood sample was collected 24 hrs after CCl4 administration for estimation of biochemical markers in serum then the animals were sacrificed under ether anaesthesia for histopathology and biochemical estimations in hepatic tissue. CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity was characterised by a significant (p<0.001) increase in SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) as well as a significant (p<0.001) decrease in total protein (TP), total albumin (TA), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Treatment with T. involucrata extracts significantly (p<0.05 and p<0.01) attenuated CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. However in T. involucrata alone (per se group) there was no significant alteration as compared to control group. Silymarin is used as standard drug in this study. Thus, the result shows the dose dependent hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of TI extract against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
