Ameliorative Effect of Acorus Calamus in Drug Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Abstract

Drug induced hepatotoxicity is most common in humans as the liver is the major organ for biotransformation of various xenobiotics including drugs. Medicinal plants often proved to be effective in preventing hepatotoxicity induced by drugs or xenobiotics.  Acorus calamus is a semiaquatic perennial aromatic herb with creeping rhizomes and possesses various medicinal properties such as antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cyto-protective, neuroprotective etc. However the available literature suggests that there are no reports on hepatoprotective effect of Acorus calamus rhizome extract. The present study was designed to screen the hepatoprotective activity of Acorus calamus rhizome extract in paracetamol induced hepatotoxic rat model. Paracetamol at the dose rate of 200 g/k.g B.wt was given orally to induce hepatotoxicity and the serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP and total proteins were estimated to assess the liver damage. Forty eight hours after paracetamol administration the rats were treated with alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Acorus calamus rhizome for a period of ten days and the serum levels of liver enzymes and total proteins were estimated. The hepatoprotective activity of Acorus calamus was confirmed by estimating the liver marker enzymes and total proteins. The treatment of Acorus calamus rhizome extract in paracetamol induced hepatotoxic rats normalized the altered serum levels of  AST, ALT, ALP and total proteins which are comparable with Silymarin, a standard hepatoprotective drug.