Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the liver protecting efficacy of phyllanthin, a lignin, isolated from the leaves of Phyllanthus amarus using mice model. Methods: Phyllanthin was orally administered with or without CCl4 for 30 d. Serum levels of hepatic marker enzymes namely alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were evaluated. Oxidative stress was ascertained by measuring hepatic lipid peroxidation levels and by estimating non-enzymatic antioxidants such as glutathione, total ascorbic acid, enzymatic antioxidants namely catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione transferase. Histopathological and ultramicroscopic analyses were also carried out. Results: Oral administration of CCl 4 caused significant increase in lipid peroxidation. The hepatic levels of both non-enzymatic antioxidants and enzymatic antioxidants were significantly lowered in CCl 4-treated mice as compared to control. Treatment with phyllanthin significantly mitigated these changes in the CCl4-treated mice. Histopathological and ultramicroscopic studies correlated well with the biochemical findings, as phyllanthin treatment reversed the alterations induced by the toxin and the subcellular features of phyllanthin treated mice were similar to those present in the normal mouse liver. Conclusions: This study reports the in vivo anti-hepatotoxic potential of this isolated molecule phyllanthin, which may be responsible for the liver protecting property of Phyllanthus amarus.

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