Context: Tarvada [Cassia auriculata Linn. (Caesalpiniaceae)] is used against liver ailments in Indian folk medicine, but there is a lack of scientific evidence for this traditional claim. Objective: The present study investigated the protective effect of methanol extract of tarvada (MECA) roots on ethanol and antitubercular drug induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Materials and methods: In the therapeutic model, ethanol (40%, 4 g/kg b.w., p.o.) was administered to rats for 21 days and the intoxicated rats were treated with MECA (300 and 600 mg/kg, b.w.) and silymarin (100 mg/kg, b.w.) for next 7 days. In the prophylactic model, MECA and silymarin were administered simultaneously along with a combination of isoniazid (27 mg/kg, b.w.), rifampicin (54 mg/kg, b.w.) and pyrazinamide (135 mg/kg, b.w.) for 30 days. After the study duration, serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, total protein, albumin were estimated along with hepatic catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and liver histopathology in each group. Results: Administration of tarvada root extract significantly (p<0.01 and p<0.05) lowered the elevated levels of serum AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, total protein and restored the abnormal levels of enzymatic antioxidants and MDA in liver due to toxicant administration in a dose-dependent manner. These results were confirmed by histopathological analysis. Discussion and conclusion: Results suggest that tarvada root extract possess potent hepatoprotective activity against ethanol and antitubercular drug-induced hepatotoxicity in rats, which could be due to an inhibition of hepatic metabolizing enzymes and antioxidant activity.
