HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF BERRY EXTRACTS OF DIOSPYROS KAKI LINN. AGAINST CARBON TETRACHLORIDE INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE MODEL

Currently, nutrition and health linkages focused on the emerging strategy of diet based regimen to combat various physiological threats including cardiovascular disorders, oxidative stress, diabetes mellitus, etc. Berry / Fruit part of Diospyros kaki Linn. was extracted using petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol consecutively and the obtained extracts were screened for hepatoprotective activity using CCl4 induced liver damage model. The activity was assessed by comparing the serum enzyme levels such as serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, serum glutamate oxalate transaminase, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase of fruit extracts treated group with carbon tetrachloride treated animals and results showed dose-dependent activity, ethanolic extract treated group showed highly significant activity, whereas chloroform extract treated group has shown the significant action but less compare to ethanolic extract, petroleum ether treated group showed moderate action and petroleum ether extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg b.w showed least significant action. The results were further supported by histopathological studies. INTRODUCTION: The liver is the largest organ of the body. It is located between the portal and the general circulation, between the organs of the gastrointestinal tract and the heart. The main function of the liver is to take up nutrients, to store them, and to provide nutrients to the other organs 1 . The liver is not only an important power and sewage treatment plant of the body. QUICK RESPONSE CODE DOI: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.10(1).381-86 The article can be accessed online on www.ijpsr.com DOI link: http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.10(1).381-86 The liver is probably the best example of a cheap recycling system. The function of the liver as a clearance organ, however, harbors the danger that the substances that should be degraded and eliminated lead to tissue damage 2 . Thus, effective defense mechanisms are necessary. During the process of elimination, there is a chance of accumulation of different kinds of toxic materials inside the hepatocytes, and there is a chance of liver infection, and hepatic disorders such as hepatitis. Amongst, persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) is one of these nutritious fruits bestowed with strong antioxidant activity 3, 4 . Persimmon is fleshy fibrous tropical, deciduous fruit belonging to Ebenaceae family.