Background:
Launaea aspleniifolia Hook (Family Asteraceae) is used traditionally in medicine
in Indian system for the treatment of leucoderma. This study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective
and antiulcer effects using the methanolic extract of Launaea aspleniifolia Hook (MELA).
Methods:
The MELA in the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) was administered orally,
daily for 7 days to prevent the acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity and peptic ulcer. In order to determine
the antioxidant enzymes activity, various enzymatic parameters including alanine aminotransferase
(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBL), direct bilirubin (DBL), alkaline
phosphatase (ALP), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), high density lipoproteins (HDL), random glucose
test (RBS), serum creatinine levels (SCL) and direct bilirubin (DBL) were determined. Further, the
histopathology of tissue and various gastric secretion parameters like free acidity, total acidity ulcer
score, % ulcer inhibition, gastric volume, pH, Na+ and K+ and histopathology were determined in PLinduced
ulcer model.
Results:
MELA showed dose-dependent hepatoprotective and ulcer protective effect in acetaminopheninduced
hepatotoxicity and antiulcer activity. Furthermore, tissue antioxidant parameter such as reduced
Malondialdehyde (MDA), histopathology was also investigated. MELA was more potent in controlling
all the serological parameter of liver like ALT, AST, TBL, DBL, ALP, HDL, RBS, SCL, TP and ALB
in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05) induced by Acetaminophen. Apart from this, antiulcer activity
MELA was confirmed by the low level of ulcer index along with the reduction of free acidity, total acidity
ulcer score, % ulcer inhibition, gastric volume, Na+ and an increase K+, pH of gastric content in a
dose-dependent manner (P<0.05) induced PL model.
Conclusion:
The results indicated a significant dose-dependent effect of MELA from injuries induced
in liver and stomach. These protective effects of MELA can be examined in various other toxicities as
alone and in combinations.