Abstract

The liver, a complex organ with multidimensional functions and strategic location, is very much prone to diseases that may lead to liver failure, serious health problems, and even death. Despite tremendous advances in modern medicine, available hepatoprotective treatment possess risk to various other organs. Cinnamomum zeylanicum, a herbal plant commonly used as a spice in Indian households, has been claimed to have hepatoprotective potential. The present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of aqueous extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (AECZ) in experimentally induced hepatotoxicity by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in albino wistar rats. Methods: The present experimental study was conducted after obtaining approval from the institutional animal ethical committee in albino Wistar rats (200-250 gms). To evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of AECZ against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity, animals were divided into five groups of six animals each. Group I was given normal saline (1ml/kg/day) per orally, Group II was administered CCl4 (1 ml/kg i.p.) only once on 21st day, Group III was given LIV 52 (1ml/kg) per orally once daily for 21 days, Group IV and V were treated with aqueous extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum in graded dose (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) per orally respectively for 21 days. Injection carbon tetrachloride (1 ml/kg i.p.) was administered once on 21st day to Group III, IV and V. The rats were sacrificed under Ketamine (75 mg/kg) and Xylazine (10 mg/kg) anaesthesia given intraperitoneally after 24 hours. Blood samples (volume ~ 5 ml) for performing biochemical tests i.e., Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum albumin, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were collected from abdominal aorta. Then animals were sacrificed and liver was dissected out for histopathological examination. The data obtained was evaluated and analysed by suitable statistical methods i.e., Anova followed by post hoc test.

Description

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