Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Bombax ceiba flowers against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Abstract

Aim: The flowers of Bombax ceiba are traditionally used as home remedy in the treatment of jaundice and spleen enlargement. The present work investigated the effect of aqueous extract of flowers of Bombax ceiba (BCAE) on experimentally induced hepatotoxicity in rats to substantiate its traditional use as hepatoprotective agent.

Methods: Hepatotoxicity was induced in rats by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) treatment; at the same time vehicle or BCAE (250 or 500 mg/kg) or silymarin (25 mg/kg) were administered daily orally for seven days. Hepatotoxicity was assessed by estimating the activities of marker enzymes and by histological studies. The antioxidant effect of BCAE was assessed by measuring amount of antioxidant phytochemicals (total phenolics and flavonoids), and DPPH free radical scavenging assay of the extract.

Results: BCAE treatment significantly prevented the CCl₄-induced elevations in levels of glutamate oxaloacatate transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, and triglycerides, and decreased the total protein levels. Treatment with BCAE attenuated the CCl₄-induced cytotoxic damage to liver. BCAE exhibited presence of antioxidant phytochemicals and showed scavanging action on DPPH radicals. The hepatoprotective effect of BCAE was comparable to that of the standard antioxidant hepatoprotective agent, silymarin. These findings indicated that BCAE showed hepatoprotective effect against CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity and exhibited in vitro antioxidant effects.

Conclusion: Bombax ceiba flowers exhibited hepatoprotective effect which may be attributed to antioxidant potential. This study also validated their traditional medicinal use in liver disorders.

Keywords

Semal / liver disorders / liver function test / free radical scavenging / silymarin

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