In-vitro antioxidant and in-vivo hepatoprotective activity of Leucas ciliata L.

Objective of the present work was to evaluate ethanolic extract of Leucas ciliata leaves for possible antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential. Antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated by using Diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, Nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging, Iron chelation and Reducing power methods. Hepatoprotective activity of the extract was evaluated by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4) induced liver damage model in rats. The extract demonstrated a significant dose dependent antioxidant activity comparable with ascorbic acid. In hepatoprotective activity study, CCl 4 significantly increased the levels of serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin. Pretreatment of the rats with ethanolic extract of L. ciliata (100, 200 and 400mg/kg po ) inhibited the increase in serum levels of SGPT, SGOT, ALP and total bilirubin and the inhibition was comparable with silymarin (100mg/kg po). The present study revealed that L. ciliata leaves have significant radical scavenging and hepatoprotective activity.