Hepatoprotective Activity of Petroleum ether Extract of Mitragyna inermis

Petroleum ether extract of Mitragyna inermis was studied for hepatoprotective activity against Swiss albino rats with liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride(CCl4). Results were compared to the standard drug silymarin at a dose rate of 100mg/kg BW. It was found that the ethanolic extract of M.inermis at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight exhibited moderate protective effect by lowering the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)or Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT) to a significant extent. The lower dose (200mg/kg BW) had no effect on lowering blood serum level rather than produced toxicity at the above specified dose. The highest activity of the Petroleum ether extract of M.inermis at a dose of 400 mg/kg BW and the reduction of serum level of ALT, AST were 52.08% and 57.37% respectively. The hepatoprotective activity was also supported by histopathological studies of liver tissue