Hepatoprotective Activity of Asparagus retrofractus (Family-Asparagaceae) Roots against Thioacetamide Induced Liver Damage in Rats

The present study was aimed at evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of ethanol extracts of Asparagus retrofractus roots against thioacetamide-induced liver damage in rats. Hepatotoxicity was induced by thioacetamide and biochemical parameters such as SGPT, SGOT, ALP, total bilirubin and also pentobarbitone induced sleeping time, ascorbic acid excretion in rat urine, bromsulphalein (BSP) uptake and histopathological changes in liver were studied along with silymarin as standard hepatoprotective agents. The thioacetamide intoxicated rat shows biochemical and histological deterioration. Pretreatment with ethanolic extract of Asparagus retrofractus roots reduced the elevated level of serum glutamate oxaloactetate transaminase SGOT, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase SGPT, serum alkaline phosphatase ALP, total bilirubin TB and reduces in pentobarbitone induced sleeping time, preventing induced reduction in ascorbic acid excretion in rat urine, increased bromsulphalein (BSP) uptake and also reversed the hepatic damage towards normal which further supports the hepatoprotective activity of root of Asparagus retrofractus. It has been concluded that the ethanolic extract of roots of Asparagus retrofractus at dose of 300mg/kg and 600mg/kg have significant effect on liver of thioacetamide induced hepatotoxicity model in rats.