Hepatoprotective activity of Tagetes erecta Linn. in carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Abstract

Many plants have been claimed to possess liver protecting activity. But, due to scarcity of potent modern medicine to treat severe liver diseases, many folk remedies of plant origin have been scientifically evaluated for their potential hepatoprotective activity in experimental animal models. In the present study, hepatoprotective activity of Tagetes erecta linn. was investigated in CCl₄ intoxicated Albino Wistar rats and the results were compared with, Silymarin. Subcutaneous injection of CCl₄, produced a marked elevation in the level of biochemical markers. Oral administration of Tagetes erecta linn at dose 200 mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 600mg/kg in CCl₄ intoxicated rats showed marked decrease in the level of biochemical markers and results were at par with the effect shown by Silymarin. The results of histopathological analysis were in compliance with the findings of blood biochemical parameter analysis. This study confirms that Tagetes erecta linn. hydroalcoholic extract has phytocomponents with hepatoprotective potential.