A Study on Hepatoprotective Activities of Vitex negundo Linn and Hygrophila auriculata in D-Galactosamine-Induced Rat Models

Liver diseases pose a significant global health challenge, primarily due to oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunctions. This study evaluates the hepatoprotective potential of Vitex negundo Linn and Hygrophila auriculata in D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Ethanolic extracts of the plants were orally administered (200 mg/kg) for 14 days to assess their restorative effects on liver function, oxidative stress markers, and histopathology. D-GalN (400 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) was used to induce liver injury, and silymarin (100 mg/kg) served as the standard reference. Biochemical analysis revealed significant reductions in serum ALT, AST, ALP, and bilirubin levels in extract-treated groups compared to the toxic control, with Vitex negundo and Hygrophila auriculata showing ALT values of 42 ± 5 U/L and 45 ± 7 U/L, respectively, versus 120 ± 10 U/L in the toxic control. Antioxidant assays demonstrated that both extracts restored superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. For example, MDA levels were reduced from 4.8 ± 0.6 nmol/mg (toxic control) to 1.5 ± 0.4 nmol/mg and 1.6 ± 0.5 nmol/mg in the V. negundo and H. auriculata groups, respectively. Histopathological analysis supported the biochemical findings, showing near-normal liver architecture in treated groups compared to the necrosis and hepatocyte degeneration observed in the toxic control. These results suggest that the hepatoprotective activity of the plants is mediated by their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, likely due to bioactive phytoconstituents such as flavonoids and phenolics. The study concludes that Vitex negundo and Hygrophila auriculata possess significant hepatoprotective effects and can serve as potential therapeutic agents for liver diseases.