Abstract:
Ayurvedic medical practitioners in Sri Lanka use several locally available medicinal plants either as single drugs or in combination with other plants in the treatment of liver diseases. Corriandrum sativum, a glabrous herb emitting a strong odour when rubbed, is used for colds, influenza, bilious complaints, liver disorders and fever. It is also used as a diuretic, tonic and aphrodisiac. The aim of this study is to investigate the hepatoprotective activities of the aqueous extract of Corriandrum sativum seeds against CCl4 and acetaminophen induced hepatotoxicity in ICR mice. Hepatotoxicity was induced by the administration of a single intraperitonial dose of CCl4 (0.5 mL kg-1 CCl4 in olive oil) and single oral dose of acetaminophen (300 mg/kg in saline) after a 16 h fast. Corriandrum extract (0.9 g kg-1) was used on pre and post-treatment basis. Both pre and post-treatment decreased the CCl4 mediated increase in serum enzyme activities (ALT, AST, ALP) and increased the reduced glutathione concentration in the liver significantly. A significant improvement was also observed in a majority of serum enzymes and reduced glutathione concentration in acetaminophen treated mice. Histopathological studies provided supportive evidence for the biochemical analysis in both CCl4 and acetaminophen treated mice. The ability of the plant extract to protect the liver against changes mediated by carbon tetrachloride and acetaminophen confirmed that the plant possesses anti-hepatotoxic properties against CCl4 and acetaminophen induced liver damage in ICR mice.
