Title: Hepatoprotective effect of aqueous extracts of root and peel of Punica granatum in wistar rats
Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of aqueous extracts of root (RAE) and peel (PAE) of Punica granatum.This study was conducted on adult albino Wistar rats of either sex weighing 150-Materials and Methods: 200 g.Animals were divided into five groups (n=5).Liver injury was produced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl ) 1 ml/kg 4 dissolved in olive oil (1:1) given intraperitoneally on day 1 and day 4 of the study duration of 14 days.Silymarin (50 mg/kg/d) orally was used as standard drug.Test groups received aqueous extract of root (RAE) at doses of P. granatum 200 and 400 mg/kg/day and aqueous extract of (PAE) peel at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg/day orally along P. granatum with CCl .On the 15 day, the hepatoprotective effect of RAE and PAE was evaluated by assessment of physical 4 th parameters, histopathological examination and biochemical parameters such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total serum bilirubin in blood sample.The Results: administration of RAE of at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg/day orally, exhibited a highly significant decrease P. granatum in the rise of mean serum AST, ALT, ALP, and total bilirubin as compared to CCl treated group (p<0.001).PAE 200 4 mg/kg/day showed highly significant reduction in serum AST, ALT and serum total bilirubin (p<0.001).PAE 200mg/kg/day showed significant reduction in ALP (p<0.01).PAE 400mg/kg/day showed highly significant reduction in serum AST, ALT, ALP and total serum bilirubin when compared to CCl treated group (p<0.001).Histopathological 4 examination of the liver also suggested hepatoprotective effect of RAE and PAE of by restoration of P. granatum hepatic architecture toward normal.Maximum decrease in the extent of centrilobular necrosis was observed in RAE 400 mg/kg/day treated rats when compared to CCl treated group.This study demonstrated 4 Conclusion: hepatoprotective activity of RAE and PAE of against CCl induced liver injury in rats.P. granatum