Hepatoprotective Effects of Aqueous Extracts of Three Ethnomedicinal Plants of Northeast India

Pogostemon parviflorus Benth (Lamiaceae), Houttuynia cordata Thunb (Saururaceae) and Solanum spirale Roxb (Solanacea) are traditionally used as vegetables to cure stomach disorders, dysentery and liver problems by the indigenous people of North East India. The current study was designed to examine the hepatoprotective effect of the aqueous extracts of the leaves of the above plant species against experimentally induced liver injury and to identify and quantify the polyphenolic compounds present in the aqueous plant extracts. The aqueous extracts of the leaves were studied against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Activity was measured by monitoring the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin. RP-HPLC was employed to identify the polyphenolic compounds of the aqueous extracts. Significant hepatoprotective effects were obtained against liver damage induced by the aqueous extracts (AEs) of all the three plants, as evident from changed biochemical parameters like serum transminases (AST and ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin. Parallel to these changes, AEs treated rat liver anti-oxidant parameters (LPO, GSH, CAT, SOD) were significantly antagonized for the pro-oxidant effect of CCl4. Histopathological studies also supported the protective effect of AEs. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of phenolic acids such as gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, gentisic acid, m-coumaric acid and sinapic acid and the flavonoids such as catechin, quercetin and kaempferol.The results supported the traditional use of Pogostemon parviflorus, Houttuynia cordata and Solanum spirale in preventing chemically induced acute liver injury.